/ 25 July 2012

Coke and partners stick to Katlehong school

Thabo Tona Primary School is one of the 100 schools Coca-Cola works with to provide learners with access to clean water.
Thabo Tona Primary School is one of the 100 schools Coca-Cola works with to provide learners with access to clean water.

Thabo Tona Primary School in Katlehong got new trees, a lick of fresh paint and a recycling programme on Wednesday from Coca-Cola South Africa, Coca-Cola Shanduka (one of the company's bottling partners) and Petco, a polyethylene terephthalate plastic recycling company.

Thabo Tona Primary School is one of the 100 schools Coca-Cola works with to provide learners with access to clean water and sanitation as part of the Coca-Cola Africa Foundation's larger Replenish Africa Initiative (Rain). This initiative aims to provide access to clean water for more than two million people across the continent by 2015.

Rain Water for Schools is a R30-million offshoot of Rain that is being implemented with the South African government. Thabo Tona was designated a Rain Water for Schools project for the 2010 Fifa World Cup but Coca-Cola has continued to work with the school of more than 1 200 children, many of whom are orphans.

On Wednesday, about 90 Coca-Cola employees planted trees and painted the school buildings, and Petco representatives educated the children and teachers about recycling. Recycling bins that will provide a source of revenue for the school have also been placed at the school.

Last year, Coca-Cola employees spent their time rehabilitating an orphanage in Ivory Park.