As part of Ghana’s 60th Independence anniversary, Coca Cola launched a campaign labeled Ghana’s 60th that sought to celebrate 60 exceptional Ghanaian youth aged 18 to 35, who are trail-blazers in unconventional fields.
The objective of the campaign was to celebrate young achievers and also to give them a platform to showcase their passion through what they do and further to remind the youth that the country was full of opportunities for anyone who was willing to explore such opportunities.
From mid-February 2017, a call was made through mass media for the public to nominate youth whom they felt had succeeded against all odds in the areas of education, entrepreneurship, entertainment/media, health, sports and technology.
The response from the public was overwhelming. Nevertheless only 60 participants (symbolizing Ghana’s 60 years of independence) were selected through a rigorous process conducted by a jury of seven with the support of the public and unveiled.
The selected 60 youth had the opportunity to network and stand a chance to be voted the most outstanding individual in one of the six categories.
The select six, known as the Big 6, were symbolic of the six fathers of independence in Ghana.
Speaking at the event, Coca Cola’s Regional Franchise Manager in Ghana, Rodrigue Billa, said: “As a company, we have joined Ghanaians in celebrating the last 60 years of independence. We now want to make a toast to the next 60 years by investing in and empowering the youth who are the future of this country.”
Coca Cola has been a part of Ghana’s history, becoming an integral part of the culture and daily lives of Ghanaians. Some of the initiatives that Coca Cola has piloted in the country is the 5BY20 programme, an initiative that aimed to empower and integrate 5 million women around the world into the company’s value chain by the year 2020.
In Ghana, over 5,000 women in Accra, the three Northern regions and the Eastern Region, have been trained and economically enabled.
In addition, through Coca Cola Africa Foundation, the company along with other partners, has invested over $2 million for the provision of safe, sustainable water supply in Ghana. And over 500,000 people living in various communities in Ghana have benefitted from this project.
The awards ceremony, which took place at the Ghana Academy of Arts and Sciences, was graced by Isaac Asiamah, Minister for Youth and Sports.
A business desk report