Kicking off phase 2 of ColaLife

PSI Headquaters, Dar Es Salaam, November 2008

ColaLife is seen as a cool campaign but we are now moving into a carefully planned implementation phase while continuing to develop and support a vibrant and engaged band of supporters.

Despite our current image, we have already had an impact beyond campaigning. During my visit to Tanzania in November 2008 I managed to squeeze in a meeting with Dr Jane Miller at PSI Tanzania and talked with her about the ColaLife vision. Following our discussions Dr Miller made direct contact with the Coca-Cola bottler in Dar Es Salaam and now condoms are being distributed to clubs and bars. In early 2009 I brokered the partnership between AED and Coca-Cola at the global level and this led to Coca-Cola working with AED in ‘The Learning Lab‘ in Tanzania.

So what does the plan look like moving forward? There are three main strands to the work programme:

1. Africa: There are two steps to the work in Africa:
   1. Local fieldwork and partnership building
      1. Identification, with the help of Coca-Cola, of a location to trial the ColaLife concept
      2. Detailed research to identify the partners needed locally and internationally to implement an independently evaluated trial of the ColaLife concept
      3. Establishing trusted links with these partners and working with them to co-design and cost a plan for the independently evaluated trial
   2. The implementation of an independently evaluated trial of the ColaLife concept
2. Worldwide: In parallel with the work in Africa, support the engagement of young people with the ColaLife concept through:
   1. Support for the establishment of societies in schools and universities (we already have three of these established)
   2. The linking up of these groups so that they can support each other with ideas and materials
3. Funding: Our aspiration is to fulfil an enabling and innovation role and to link up and fund existing organisations to undertake these activities – particularly the work in Africa. So fundraising will be the third thread of activity as we move into ColaLife Phase 2