Central America

Health and wellness

Community in Balance

In Costa Rica, we promote Community in Balance, focused on promoting healthy lifestyles and environmental care. The program includes an initiative called Families in Movement that promotes physical activity in the community. In 2011, the first of these was held in San José, where more than 645 people were benefited. The neighbors participated in 90 Minutes Powerade, dances coordinated by physical fitness experts, football tournaments, Coca-Cola soccer penalty games and other physical activities.

Let’s Play

The Let’s Play program, which we introduced in an alliance with The Coca-Cola Company and the Ministries of Education of Costa Rica, Guatemala, Nicaragua and Panama, promotes children’s integral development through play, exercise and healthy social interaction. The goal of Let’s Play is to encourage children to enjoy and develop physical activity skills, and to promote values like solidarity, respect and tolerance. Its components consist of donating materials that stimulate physical activity to the schools; preparing manuals for teachers and other adults; training routines for teachers in charge of encouraging and controlling physical activity among the kids; and taking advantage of physical space in schools to stimulate movement, optimism and leadership. In 2011, the program benefited 25 schools, 60 teachers, and more than 9,000 students.

A Plate, a Smile

Developed at Coca-Cola FEMSA Nicaragua, this program distributes basic grains, de-hydrated food, vegetables, canned products and milk to 36 selected schools in order to complement the daily diet of more than 9,000 underprivileged children during the school year. The program is intended to encourage school attendance and improve their learning capacity.

Environmental care

Eco-Schools

Eco-Schools is an educational and awareness-raising program born out of an initiative by the Fondo Natura (FUNDENIC- SOS) and Coca-Cola FEMSA Nicaragua. It involves students, teachers and parents in various schools, by providing each institution with a set of containers for sorting solid wastes. The purpose of the program is to promote an awareness appreciation of natural resources and the environment among school communities, encouraging them to protect and conserve it. The Eco-Schools program benefited four schools, 2,775 children and 89 teachers last year.

Water Wardens

This program, supported by Acueductos y Alcantarillados de Costa Rica (AyA), Coca-Cola FEMSA and The Coca-Cola System, provides teachers and students with information about the rational use and preservation of water. Children selected to become Water Wardens must watch that water is used rationally in their school. The program has been introduced in Costa Rica and Panama, and by year-end, it had been established in 35 schools, generating estimated savings of 137.4 million liters.

Planet Mission

For 13 years, through Planet Mission, Coca-Cola FEMSA Costa Rica promotes collection and recycling of plastic bottles across the country. In 2011, this program has picked up 76.5 million bottles from the country’s beaches and rivers. The material that is collected is taken to a Coca-Cola FEMSA bottling plant where it is processed and exported to be used as polyester fiber to make clothing, tote bags, packaging, and other articles, and even “plastic wood” products like tables and chairs. Planet Mission also generates local jobs through 200 collection centers, led by micro and small businesses.

Download PDF (688 KB)