Here is a first go at answers to the questions asked by Google’s Project 10^100. We’ve posted them here so others can comment and make the submission better. The answers are in bold. Please comment or send suggestions to sxberry[at]gmail[dot]com. Thanks.
That Coca-Cola use their distribution channels (which are amazing in developing countries) to distribute rehydration salts & save children’s lives.
We (there are more than 6,000 of us in a growing Facebook Group) want to combine the talents of the people working for Coca-Cola, at all levels, with the talents of those working to save children’s lives in Africa to reduce the terrible death toll of children under the age of five.
The problem is not new. In Africa, everyday around 5,500 children under the age of 5 die from simple causes such as dehydration from diarrhea. This has been the case ever since record keeping began. That’s more than 2m children per year.
Against this backdrop, you can buy a Coca-Cola in all of the most remote corners of the World. Coca-Cola have been able to build the most amazing, truly global distribution network. This is made up of local entrepreneurs, linked to locally run bottling plants.
We want to use this network to distribute simple medicines (oral rehydration salts) together with hygiene and sanitation messages to all the places you can buy a Coke. This would save thousands and thousands of children’s lives. It would also spawn other ideas that would join up the private sector with the public/NGO sector, combining the talents of both for a better world.
We have already made a lot of progress and we now have an open line to the CSR people at Coca-Cola. But there is lots of work to be done persuading the business people in Coca-Cola and so we MUST keep the pressure on. As with all simple ideas the devil is in the detail. The campaign needs proper resources to build on the voluntary effort to date to: build an effective PR campaign; to work out the logistics of doing this without undermining the livelihoods of those involved in the distribution of Coca-Cola; to do the design work required to get materials into Coca-Cola crates; to engage with local health experts and practitioners on the ground; to design and implement trials that get ORS and educational messages out to parents who need them; to promote the whole concept of cross-sectoral cooperation to solve problems.
When the campaign started our objective was to get this idea in front of Coca-Cola and talk to them about it. We achieved this within a few weeks and so our ambitions have grown. We now want to see properly monitored and evaluated trials of the idea take place. We want everyone involved to learn from these so that the methods can be spread and taken up by those working to reduce child mortality on the ground throughout the developing world.
The video – 4 children a minute – to support the entry is here.
Simon – this is a brilliant and compelling summary! I wonder if it might help to highlight a bit more the question that may come to some people’s minds: “Why are you having a go at Coco-Cola”? Is the answer something like: “In this case a global company, rather than governments or NGOs, offers the quickest and most effective route to a solution. That’s why we are focussing in a very positive way on Coca-Cola”.
I know it is implicit throughout, but still came to my mind.
The submission looks really good so far. Well done! With regard to the question: “If your idea were to become a reality, who would benefit the most and how?” I feel that it might be worth mentioning that if Coca-Cola do take the project forward then many other business will be more likely to look at this type of work in the future. Obviously, that is a secondary point. Finally, do you know what will be included in the video? Will there be a representative from Coca-Cola for example?
Great summary – and agree with comments from David and Ian.
Good idea but i think we should stop them from selling Coca-cola. This would help every people of all ages.
Neighbourhood Community Network is an NGO in India that aims at Rural Welfare Reforms for the Indian Woman and Children, Social welfare, parliamental activities. It is an NGO in India for Rural Development, Social Services, Child Welfare Services, Welfare for the Rural Woman, Rural Education.
Excellent video, excellent idea. Agree with David’s comment. Also, it might be a simple question but one thing that struck me was: how will the rehydration salts actually get to the children who need them? What does it mean to use Coke’s distribution networks? Will the stuff be supplied by Coke at no cost to the parent/carer? Sorry if these are dumb questions.