‘Tet of Love’ with new EKOCENTERs in Central Vietnam

The new EKOCENTER in Ha Tinh brings joys to local people

The new EKOCENTERs, a community initiative by US beverage giant Coca-Cola that made its debut in Vietnam in 2015, will be operated by abovesaid local social enterprises to create shared values for communities.

Similar to the EKOCENTERs in other locations, the two new units in Hue and Ha Tinh will focus on three main objectives: providing safe drinking water, empowering women in the economy, and holding community support activities such as soft-skills training and online training, internet services, and health and sports events.

EKOCENTER is powered by green energy from solar panels installed on the roof of the kiosk. Each unit is equipped with a water purification system with a capacity of 6,000 liters per day to provide safe drinking water for local households.

The computer lab at the centre will also provide local children and women with access to information, allowing them to practice computer skills and participate in online startup training. These computer labs have greatly improved the business capacity of local women.

"We are proud to partner with Coca-Cola to run EKOCENTER in Ha Tinh. The goal and mission of Phu Tai Duc Group is to serve and bring benefits to the community, especially safe drinking water and periodical free community healthcare services for people, especially the elderly in Vinh An hamlet. Through our training activities, we hope to contribute to enhancing the skills of people, especially women, to improve their lives for a better future, "said Nguyen Anh Nga, general director of Phu Tai Duc Group.

"In addition to promote tourism in Thanh Toan in the coming years, EKOCENTER will serve as the base to organise training activities. We hope that the people of Thanh Toan will do a lot of good things with EKOCENTER in the years ahead," said Dang Thi Duong, director of Social Welfare of Hue Xanh and president of the Women Entrepreneurs Association in Hue.

According to the social enterprise model, business activities in kiosks providing necessities, coffee, and computer labs will be managed and operated according to investment criteria.

A portion of the proceeds from the business will be reinvested in the facilities, infrastructure, and other social programmes. In particular, vocational training will contribute to bringing sustainable values for the local community and joys to the local people.

This January, Coca-Cola also handed out 200 gifts to villagers in Hue and Ha Tinh with the message ‘Tet of Love.’

‘Tet of Love’ is an annual activity of Coca-Cola since 2007. Every Tet holiday, Coca-Cola Vietnam offers Tet gifts to hard-working families across the country.

Over 21,000 gifts have been donated under the programme. This year, more than 4,270 ‘Tet of Love’ gifts will be awarded with the total value of VND2.5 billion ($113,600).

Sanket Ray, managing director of Coca-Cola Vietnam, said: “Local EKOCENTER units are proving effective, as they continuously bring benefits to the community, such as providing clean water, increasing awareness of energy usage and climate change, as well as business startup programmes that have gradually contributed to the rise of women in the local economy. We are really happy to share the Tet atmosphere with villagers through Tet of Love.”

EKOCENTER is a Coca-Cola community initiative that promotes public-private partnerships around the globe.

In Vietnam, the first EKOCENTER was launched in 2015. By the end of 2017, nine such units were established in Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi, Danang, Halong, Ben Tre, An Giang, Dong Thap, Hue, and Ha Tinh. Four new units are expected to be built this year.