Beirut, Lebanon, February 2019: Under the patronage of Minister of Education and Higher Education Mr. Akram Chehayeb and in the presence of his representative, Dr. Nader Hodeife PepsiCo, the largest brand in the food and beverage sector, in cooperation with the NGO Ajialouna, a Lebanese charity, launched the “Tomooh Saad Abdul Latif” scholarship program in its 14th year running. The 2019 program, which aims to enable Arab youth to pursue their education, was launched at a gala dinner at the Four Seasons Hotel, in the presence of PepsiCo and Ajialouna officials, in addition to the teaching bodies of schools and universities, representatives from various associations along with members of the press.
Mr. Elie Bou Akel, Franchise Management Director at PepsiCo and its representative at the gala, said: “We are meeting today to launch the “Tomooh Saad Abdul Latif” scholarship program in its 14th year, the program that has provided more than 3,000 scholarships to date. We at PepsiCo, after 14 years, are still determined to empower the youth in their pursuit of higher education. PepsiCo acknowledges the importance of education and building the youth’s potential, which gives them the opportunity for a bright future where hope flourishes and business and ideas thrive.”
“PepsiCo is committed to its global strategy « Performance with Purpose” through which the company maintains support to local societies and invests in them. Our initiative, which is in cooperation with Ajialouna, is one of the most important social programs for PepsiCo, which began in support of disadvantaged students and has continued, for 14 years, to help the youth of Lebanon despite challenging social and economic conditions by encouraging them to become productive members of society and reaching their potential. And because we have a strong commitment toward this cause, this year we decided to increase the budget dedicated to scholarships,” he added.
Dr. Nader Hodeife representing the minister of Education and Higher Education Mr. Akram Chehayeb commended the joint efforts of PepsiCo and Ajialouna in their support of distinguished students, along with the amount of commitment and contribution the initiative has shown, setting an example in corporate social responsibility initiatives.
Dr. Lina Al Dada, President of Ajialouna, said: “The long history of Tomooh’s program in Lebanon underscores the close cooperation between PepsiCo and Ajialouna, as well as PepsiCo’s ongoing commitment. We aim to encourage the youth in Lebanon to progress, where our resolve hardens the more challenges increase. Tomooh by PepsiCo specifically addresses this, and the transparency of this initiative, which began with Ajialouna’s goals lining in parallel with the company’s, enabled the “Tomooh Saad Abdul Latif” scholarship program to provide educational opportunities for Lebanese youth who are unable to continue their studies for financial reasons, regardless of their affiliations and sects.”
PepsiCo is involved in community development and is committed to promoting positive support through social activities that support the communities in which it operates and invests in. “Tomooh Saad Abdul Latif” scholarship program is one of PepsiCo’s many programs in which it supports communities through the development of education in Lebanon through equal opportunities, enabling young people who are facing economic challenges to pursue their journey towards knowledge and achieve their goals. At the close of the 13th year of Tomooh, the program secured 3,071 university scholarships for distinguished students from different regions of Lebanon who have financial difficulties. Tomooh is a regional project by PepsiCo and operates in Egypt, Jordan and Lebanon.
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 $63 billion in net revenue in 2017, driven by a complementary food and beverage portfolio that includes Frito-Lay, Gatorade, Pepsi-Cola, Quaker and Tropicana. PepsiCo’s product portfolio includes a wide range of enjoyable foods and beverages, including 22 brands that generate more than $1 billion each in estimated annual retail sales.
At the heart of PepsiCo is Performance with Purpose – our fundamental belief that the success of our company is inextricably linked to the sustainability of the world around us. We believe that continuously improving the products we sell, operating responsibly to protect our planet and empowering people around the world enable PepsiCo to run a successful global company that creates long-term value for society and our shareholders. For more information, visit www.pepsico.com.
About Ajialouna:
Ajialouna is a charitable non-profit association founded in March 1995 under Registration No. 41 / AD, then got the public benefit Decree No. 4278 later. Ajialouna’s activities revolve around 3 main programs, school health programs, f social assistance, pledges and women empowerment programs, education and awareness programs.