Tag: PepsiCo Foundation

  • 2,290 Students graduate from PepsiCo supported youth education program

    2,290 Students graduate from PepsiCo supported youth education program

    More than 2,290 students has graduated from the PepsiCo-supported career-prep fellowship by the Amal Academy. The educational start-up held its graduation ceremony for students from 180 cities, towns, and villages at a series of celebratory events held in Lahore, Karachi, and Peshawar. The graduation ceremony was attended by Amal Academy CEO Mr. Ali Siddiq, PepsiCo Senior Director Sales and Corporate Affairs Mr. Mohammad Khosa, and chief guest and notable academic Director and Senior Fellow at the Institute of Development and Economic Alternatives (IDEAS), Dr. Faisal Bari.

    The fellowship is part of PepsiCo’s ‘Roshan Kal’ platform aimed at developing students’ professional skills through internships and skills development programs. The program creates opportunities for youth to develop skills such as communications, teamwork, leadership, positive thinking, and growth mindset. It focuses on specific career skills such as interview preparation, job placement, and project presentation. Enhancing professional skills enable university graduates to improve their chances of gaining meaningful employment.  To date, Roshan Kal has created over 6,300 opportunities for youth through its internship program and its professional skills development program that is run in collaboration with Amal Academy. Based on graduate surveys, seventy percent of the program’s graduates receive an offer of employment within three months of completing this program.

    Present at the occasion, Amal Academy CEO, Mr. Ali Siddiq, said, “I would like to express my gratitude to PepsiCo for enabling us to expand the reach of our fellowship program across Pakistan, and also for helping us launch a teacher training initiative this year to help bridge the industry-academia gap.”

    In his address to the fellows present at the ceremony, he added, “I’m humbled and proud to see how you have chosen a path of lifelong learning and civic responsibility. You are the leaders this country needs, and we are honored to be part of your journey to reaching your full potential.”

    Senior Director Sales and Corporate Affairs, PepsiCo Pakistan, Mr. Mohammad Khosa, commented, “I am truly proud of Amal Career-Prep Fellows 2021 for successfully completing the program and joining us on this life-changing journey to emerge as resilient, knowledgeable, and socially responsible youth, working toward a brighter future of our country. PepsiCo’s investment in this program is part of our broader social impact commitment toward fostering positive developments in accordance with PepsiCo’s In, With and For Pakistan mission.”

    In 2021, PepsiCo Amal Career-Prep fellows initiated and led some remarkable community impact projects. The fellows came together to collect PKR 5 million for Edhi Foundation during a fundraising drive and executed other mega projects to positively impact the lives of 9,000 people across Pakistan. In addition, there has been an eighty percent success rate in terms of job placements for the graduate fellows this year.

    “Our collective hard work and passion has brought us here today, and my heart is dancing with joy. I have never been this excited or happy to have completed a course or degree. This is a real life-changing experience, and I am truly thankful to PepsiCo and Amal Academy for giving me an opportunity to go beyond my comfort zone, inspiring me to do better,” said Saeeda Wasi, a 2021 graduate fellow.

    About PepsiCo

    PepsiCo products are enjoyed by consumers more than one billion times a day in more than 200 countries and territories around the world. PepsiCo generated more than $70 billion in net revenue in 2020, driven by a complementary food and beverage portfolio that includes Frito-Lay, Gatorade, Pepsi-Cola, Quaker, and 7UP. PepsiCo’s product portfolio includes a wide range of enjoyable foods and beverages, including 23 brands that generate more than $1 billion each in estimated annual retail sales. Guiding PepsiCo is our vision to Be the Global Leader in Convenient Foods and Beverages by Winning with Purpose. “Winning with Purpose” reflects our ambition to win sustainably in the marketplace and embed purpose into all aspects of our business strategy and brands. For more information, visit www.pepsico.com.

  • The lesson of inclusivity

    The lesson of inclusivity

    While COVID-19 has been creating havoc, unfortunately, in all parts of the world, it has had a massive impact in most developing countries, choking up the already shaking health and welfare systems.

    In Pakistan, the outbreak has caused an economic stoppage that amounts to a great loss, where the graph for unemployment shot up high from the very beginning of this pandemic. Not to forget, the worst-hit out of the country’s total population are the daily wage earners and those who inhabit unfortunately in the urban slums. Moreover, while the major parts of the city and larger groups were attended to and received help, the disabled were marginalised a great deal.

    For years, Pakistan as a nation has marked itself in the top three charitable countries around the globe. Local charities have been playing a key role in curtailing the economic burden on the government by providing meals, medical assistance and other key services to low-income groups.

    In order to assist and form a chain reaction with the said cause during these unreasonably trying times, PepsiCo Foundation — the philanthropic wing of the organisation — declared and extended support for the unemployed people and partnered up with the best charitable organisations under the umbrella of the ‘Millions of Meals’ initiative. The campaign was envisioned on such a large scale and designed to complete the aim of distributing an astonishing number of 13 million meals with over 500 volunteers and countless supporters, to the communities most affected by the COVID-19 outbreak.

    In order to assist the poor survive the harshness of lockdowns, unemployment and hunger caused due to economic and financial challenges, Pepsi joined hands with nine distinct charities. Among several others, targeting the lesson of ‘inclusivity’ is where NOWPDP was collaborated with, that caters to the differently-abled people in the society. 

    The idea was to empower millions of dreams, despite the odds and reach out all corners of the country, with a vision of providing immediate emergency disaster relief for the many vulnerable, neglected parts of Pakistan. NOWPDP helped in taking forward the initiative and making sure no one gets left behind specially those who are limited in their physical ability.

    NOWPDP operates in the development sector with a focus on inclusion through empowerment of persons with disabilities. As mentioned above, with the pandemic spreading its shadow all over, the most affected were the differently-abled who were now absolutely clueless and helpless in terms of taking care of their needs.

    Their agenda is to help people with disabilities and for them to be an important stakeholder in the bigger picture, whether it is in regard to education or employment, as they emphasise on their big idea, “A Part. Not Apart”. In addition, what fuels the members of this organisation, include; empathy, action and social justice. Persons with disabilities (PWDs) have equal access to opportunities and are an integral part of society. Their aim is to promote an inclusive society through holistic and sustainable endeavors in the areas of education and economic empowerment.

    Supported by PepsiCo, NOWPDP took on the responsibility of reaching out to thousands of vulnerable households. They reached out to the differently-abled residing in Hyderabad, Sujawal, Tando Allah Yar, Tando Muhammad Khan, Kot Ghulam Muhammad, Nawabshah, Sukkur, Larkana and distributed 171,675 meals altogether. For this, a group of people was specially brought together to form a call centre at NOWPDP during pandemic times to address and facilitate those in need. This effort was catering specially to the differently-abled and the deserving, where employees were to get the database together of those residing in various cities of Pakistan. 

    Babar Iqbal, a call centre agent at NOWPDP said, “Upon calling the differently-abled person, we are asked if they will be getting ration. When they are told all that it entails, the response and most importantly the happiness in their voice along with prayers is something that can’t be explained in words.”

    In addition, while the big cities of Pakistan are catered to by multiple organisations, the ones that get left behind are the differently-abled residing in interior Sindh.

    NOWPDP Executive Director Omair Ahmad said, “To achieve economic empowerment for disenfranchised communities, particularly persons with disabilities, it is incumbent on us to take the first step and show a desire, willingness and empathy to ensure that they have access to basic necessities like food and water. Without welfare, empowerment becomes a distant reality, a facade, an unachievable goal, and a dream. Thus, we are grateful to Pepsi for this initiative and understanding the urgency of this need for thousands of persons with disabilities across the country, and promptly extending their support. We hope that this journey on the path of hope will allow millions to achieve their dream of empowerment.

    This nation is full of people with a big heart who are ever ready to help those in need. We take great pride in it and this collaboration of PEPSICO and NOWPDP, which has shown us how inclusivity holds sheer importance and how endearing it is to cater to the disabled, is providing them with employment opportunities and assisting them to grow and know there are lots to look after them leaving no man behind when the entire world is at a halt owing to the pandemic. Here’s to more successful collaborations and a wish for phase 2 to take place.