Project Hope is a non-profit program that provides education for children in remote, underdeveloped areas of China through more than 7,000 schools. Initiated by the late Deng Xiaoping, Project Hope was established in 1989 and is run by the Chinese Youth Development Foundation.

Coca-Cola Support

Coca-Cola China has supported Project Hope since 1993. Since then,
Coca-Cola has provided nearly US$2 million to build 50 primary schools and help stock 100 libraries in remote areas of China where there was little or not educational infrastructure. The 23 Coca-Cola bottling plants in China are contributing to this commitment.

In 1998, we expanded our partnership contribution and announced that 10,000 needy children across China would receive scholarships from The Coca-Cola Company to attend primary schools over the following six years.

Coca-Cola's support of Project Hope was officially recognized by US First Lady Hillary Rodham Clinton. Mrs. Clinton visited Coca-Cola officials and Project Hope children in Beijing on June 27, 1998.

Schools

• Thousands of students each year receive primary education through the Coca-Cola Project Hope sponsorship program.
• In 1997, we extended our financial assistance to university students in China. Some of these university students travel to Project Hope schools during their holidays to teach.
• The 50th school was opened near Xian on November 18, 1999.
• The schools are located in poor, remote areas of China such as Jiangxi and Guizhou, and benefit families currently dependent on agriculture and farming for their livelihoods.
• The schools range in size from six to 12 classrooms, enabling between 300 to 600 students in each school to receive a primary education.
• Each school costs between RMB200,000 to RMB500,000 (US$25,000-$60,000), which includes construction, refurbishment, teaching supplies and maintenance.