Cover of Project Last Mile Annual Report 2023 showcasing a woman in a patterned headscarf, with global partner logos gracing the bottom.

Annual Report

January – December 2023

In 2023, we expanded Project Last Mile’s impact through 21 projects in 12 African countries, reaching over 28 million people.

Our collective involvement in Project Last Mile fills us with a profound sense of pride. This comes from knowing that Project Last Mile stands as a true embodiment of partnership, integrating the distinctive capabilities and strengths of the private sector, public sector, and civil society to implement transformative projects. Our capabilities, rooted in private sector approaches, have been instrumental in achieving these milestones.

Reflecting on the past year’s accomplishments, we sincerely appreciate each contributor who played a crucial role in Project Last Mile’s success—including our valued partners and dedicated project team. We are fortunate to collaborate with an exceptionally talented and committed network of individuals.

This annual report highlights Project Last Mile’s achievements and learnings over the past year. Looking ahead, we eagerly anticipate a significant milestone commemorating 10 years since the formal launch of our expanded global partnership.


Our work

If you can find an ice-cold Coca-Cola product almost anywhere in Africa, why not life-saving medicines?

Project Last Mile, a collaboration between donors, health ministries, and the private sector, aims to turn this vision into reality. We work closely with public health systems and social enterprises. utilizing the successful methods and networks of The Coca-Cola System. Our focus areas include route-to-market, cold chain strengthening, and strategic marketing and communications. Our aim is to improve access, availability, and demand for life-saving medicines and health services down to the last mile in Africa. We assist our donor partners—PEPFAR, USAID, The Global Fund, and The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation—to achieve ambitious goals.

Our core capabilities are derived from a private sector approach that is based on the strengths of The Coca-Cola System. The Coca-Cola Company and its brands are world-recognized for distribution, cold chain capability, and marketing. By leveraging Coca-Cola alums and subject matter experts in public health, we translate principles and expertise from the private sector to support public health systems and social enterprises in improving the delivery of medicines, vaccines, and health services.

Route-to-market: Project Last Mile applies the successful distribution expertise, methods, and innovations of The Coca-Cola System, adapting them to health systems to enhance how medicines, vaccinations, and other health products reach people. This helps ensure consistent and convenient availability down to the last mile.

Cold chain strengthening: Project Last Mile utilizes The Coca-Cola System’s expertise and networks to improve systems that maintain climate-sensitive commodities at the right temperature. This is crucial for regular immunizations and emergency efforts such as COVID-19 and polio vaccinations.

Strategic marketing and communications:
The Coca-Cola Company is world-recognized for its marketing and branding expertise. Project Last Mile applies these best practices to social behavior change and communication, aiming to motivate people to access health services such as HIV testing and treatment.


Project Last Mile in numbers as of end of 2023:

55 projects
17 countries
43 million people reached


2023 highlights

  • Reducing health commodity stockouts at Côte d’Ivoire’s last mile by implementing effective distribution strategies, which improved inventory management skills and decreased stockouts in healthcare facilities, providing better access to life-saving medications.

Our work

2023 highlights

    • Boosting COVID-19 vaccine demand in Eswatini via targeted marketing campaigns on digital platforms and wellness events, combating misconceptions, and driving uptake, leading to high online engagement and successful vaccination events.

    • Boosting COVID-19 vaccine acceptance in Malawi through targeted strategic marketing campaigns in rural communities, resulting in increased positive attitudes towards vaccination and a significant uptick in vaccinations administered.

See our 2023 thought leadership and communication highlights here.