LAHORE – Coca-Cola Pakistan on Tuesday joined hands with Edhi Foundation for fundraising during Ramazan.
Both the organisations have started ‘Eidi for Edhi’ campaign aims to inspire the people and evoke values of generosity and kindness for an integrated fund-raising drive to be implemented nationwide.
Rizwan U. Khan, General Manager of Coca-Cola, Pakistan & Afghanistan said, “As a caring corporate citizen, Coca-Cola realised last year that it was our moral responsibility to do whatever we can to support the Foundation at a time when it was facing a decline in its own fundraising efforts. Drawing on our core strengths, we undertook a massive communication campaign last year, with the full intention of repeating it this year, and I am pleased to announce that our campaign this year will be even bigger and more effective, drawing on all the learning of last year.”
Edhi Foundation from its inception has relied on public support, and traditionally donations, both zakat, and non-zakat, have registered a huge increase during the holy month of Ramazan. Without the enlightened leadership of Abdul Sattar Edhi though, the Foundation had faced a decline in donations during their first Ramazan after Edhi Sahab’s demise. As such, Coca-Cola’s ‘Bottle of Change’ campaign became a positive instrument for donations to the Edhi Foundation last year, persuading people to donate even more than before to the Foundation and thus help keep the great work of Edhi alive. The core message of the campaign this year remains the same, with the appealing slogan, ‘Eidi for Edhi’ reawakening public consciousness and willing people to come together for a great cause.
Faisal Edhi, the son of late Abdul Sattar Edhi and the present head of the Foundation said, “Coca-Cola’s campaign had triggered an immense momentum last year, helping the Foundation raise considerable funds during Ramazan. The funds were used to extend the Foundation’s charitable work to even more underprivileged people, and based on the success of last year the Foundation was keen to partner with Coca-Cola again this Ramazan.” He also expressed appreciation for Coca-Cola’s several other interventions for other good causes, partnering with reputable non-profit organizations, like with The Citizens Foundation for education, the WWF-Pakistan for environmental conservation, the Kashf Foundation for women empowerment, Rotary International for eradicating polio, and the Indus Earth Trust for water-related projects.
It is to be noted that the Eidi for Edhi campaign has no commercial angle whatsoever, and the fundraising is in no way related to product purchase. Coca-Cola will itself match all public donations received up to a cap of Rs. 25million. Also, this year the Ramazan fundraising will build further on last year’s partnership by evolving the Bottle of Change into the concept of ‘Eidi for Edhi’. This will help citizens go beyond donating in cash and also contributing in terms of meaningful gifts that the Foundation will distribute among the less privileged in society, bringing cheer into their lives on the occasion of Eid ul Fitr.-PR
