PepsiCo Greater China held a donation ceremony on October 22, at Lian Erwan middle school, Lintao County, Gansu Province, on the occasion of its "Benevolence in PepsiCo, Love to be Continued" visit to the Water Cellar for Mothers project. The ceremony was witness to PepsiCo's RMB 400,000 (US$ 64,200) donation to the China Women's Development Foundation "Land of Love, Water Cellar for Mothers" project. The funds are designated for construction of rainwater-collecting cellars in 13 primary and secondary schools, and will benefit 6,000 schoolchildren. The amount brought PepsiCo's cash donations to the project over the past nine years to a total RMB 17 million ( US$ 2,728,500).

Qin Guoying(R2), secretary-general of China Women's Development Foundation receives donations from PepsiCo Greater China[cwdf.org.cn]

Tai Xiangmei, vice-president of PepsiCo Beverage Co Ltd said at the donation ceremony, "As a multinational company, PepsiCo is proactive in promoting and shouldering corporate social responsibility. Having embraced the corporate philosophy, 'contribute our due share for a better future and a more harmonious society', we at PepsiCo have maintained our support of and donations to the Water Cellar for Mothers project for nine consecutive years. This year, the PepsiCo Water Cellar for Mothers project plans to address the problems of safe drinking water that residents of water-deficient areas face, and provide more children with access to potable water."

Qin Guoying, secretary-general of China Women's Development Foundation said at the donation ceremony, "The Land of Love, Water Cellar for Mothers project has enjoyed extensive support and participation from all walks of life over the past nine years. PepsiCo, a foreign-funded company and one of the Fortune 500, is the first international company to contribute to social public services and so set an example for other multinational corporations. In addition to making cash donations, PepsiCo has also become involved in carrying out the Water Cellar for Mothers project, its management and evaluation. The PepsiCo Young Volunteer Association, meanwhile, has also played a pivotal role through its cash and material donations in helping the poor, and also in its mobilization of PepsiCo employee involvement in public services."

Social benefits accruing from the PepsiCo-funded Land of Love, Water Cellar for Mothers project in Lintao County will be showcased on three fronts. They are: providing access to safe drinking water, which ensures students' and teachers' health; taking pressure off public education funds, which helps to improve the quality of education; and providing schools with fundamental material conditions, which maintains teaching facilities in the region.

Since 2001, PepsiCo has been one of the main contributors to the Land of Love, Mother Cellar for Mothers project. By the year 2009, the PepsiCo Foundation, PepsiCo Greater China and its employees had donated RMB 17 million ( US$ 2,728,500). in cash and built 1,500 water cellars, benefiting 16,000 or more people. PepsiCo has also introduced its professional water expertise and advanced technology to this project in efforts to popularize safe drinking water programs. The Water Cellar for Mothers project has so far benefited 40,000 people living in 28 villages and 24 counties of 7 provinces and autonomous regions, including Sichuan, Shaanxi, Guizhou, Guangxi, Hebei, Inner Mongolia and Gansu.

(Source: cwdf.org.cn)