Managua, January 24, 2013 – Residents of La Gallina, a rural community located in San Rafael del Sur, 59 kilometers from Managua, will finally have drinking water in their homes thanks to the alliance of FEMSA Foundation, represented by Coca-Cola FEMSA Nicaragua, and Habitat for Humanity.
For many years, the inhabitants of Gallina faced serious health problems due to the quality of drinking water – from contaminated sources – available to them and used for domestic chores.
This project improved the living and sanitary conditions of these families by installing a community drinking water system with residential connections.
“As part of our commitment to the communities where we operate and our sustainability platform, Coca-Cola FEMSA Nicaragua and FEMSA Foundation joined efforts to donate a water treatment plant to the town. Access to this cherished resource will positively change the lives of each of these people,” said Arturo Campos, Director of Corporate Affairs of Coca-Cola FEMSA Central America.
FEMSA Foundation and Coca-Cola FEMSA Nicaragua, collabortae in Alliance with Habitat for Humanity Nicaragua, Plan Nicaragua and San Rafael del Sur’s City Hall with the financial support needed to develop the Project and evaluate the impact.
“For Habitat for Humanity, water is a life source, hope, health, human development and we have the responsibility to care for it, especially for children in La Gallina. We thank God for this great blessing and we thank all the allied organizations, domestic and international volunteers, and we give a special thank you to the families of the community that participated in making the dream of having access to healthy, clean and available water come true,” said Frank Matus-Aguirre, Executive Director, Habitat for Humanity Nicaragua.
The system will be supplemented by organization and strengthening from the Drinking Water and Sanitation Committee (CAPS) and the training of sanitation advocates for broadcasting knowledge among the population regarding usage and maintenance of the system and the adequate use of water sources.
“At FEMSA Foundation we understand the major role water plays in the communities. The results range from health improvement to greater opportunities and increase in productivity. Facilitating the infrastructure for accessing drinking water and achieve sanitation in communities with insufficient sources is a commitment we reiterate today with our second project in Nicaragua”, stated Vidal Garza, PhD., FEMSA Foundation Director.
Coca-Cola FEMSA and FEMSA Foundation had previously supported Nicaraguans in San Francisco de Cuapa, in the province of Chontales, with a fixed water treatment plant which provides water to over 3,000 community members since 2010.
For further information please contact Mayela Rodríguez at Crea Comunicaciones ph. (505) 2270 1688, e-mail mrodriguez@creacomunicaciones.com
Or Selene Yang at Habitat for Humanity Nicaragua ph. (505) 2270 1080, e-mail syang@habitatnicaragua.org.ni
About Coca-Cola FEMSA Nicaragua
Coca-Cola FEMSA is part of Fomento Económico Mexicano S.A. (FEMSA) industrial group. It is the largest Coca-Cola bottler in Latin America and the second largest in the world. One in ten Coca-Cola products consumed worldwide is made by Coca-Cola FEMSA. The Company has licensing rights to produce, bottle, distribute and sell beverages of THE COCA-COLA COMPANY. Coca-Cola FEMSA has presence in 9 Latin America countries: Costa Rica, México, Guatemala, Nicaragua, Panamá, Colombia, Venezuela, Brazil and Argentina.
Its mission is to please and satisfy beverage consumers with excellence distributing 65 brands such as Coca-Cola, Coca-Cola Light, Fanta, Fresca, Alpina Water, Hi-C juices and Powerade.
About FEMSA Foundation
FEMSA Foundation is a social investment instrument supporting both the conservation and sustainable use of water and the improvement of community quality of life with education, science and applied technology. Its department of Sustainable Development of Water Resources funnels resources to projects oriented to the conservation and sustainable use of water in order to protect ecosystems of Latin America, not only for today but for future generations. It is divided in three programs: Watershed Conservation, Water and Sanitation and Capacity Building and Applied Research. Moreover, the department of Quality of Life is focused on backing projects oriented to improving nutrition and health amongst our communities’ population. Its two programs are: Capacity Building and Applied Research and Intelligent Nutrition and Physical Activity.
About Habitat for Humanity Nicaragua
Habitat for Humanity Nicaragua is an organization advocating and working for the right of every person to adequate housing and a sustainable improvement of community habitats. It promotes the social and political recognition of adequate housing as a basic right. It facilitates the target community to have readily access to services and products needed for producing and maintaining adequate housing. It supports the development of capacities among the population in order to prevent, mitigate and provide attention to disasters. www.habitatnicaragua.org.ni