Consumers Worldwide Can Donate to New Fund Fee Free at
Participating Western Union Agent Locations or Online at www.WesternUnion.com,
With Company Match
ENGLEWOOD, Colo.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--
The
Western Union Company (NYSE:WU), a leader in global payment
services, today urged consumers globally to join together in supporting
education through its long-standing partner, UNICEF. The company also
unveiled plans for a new Western Union Education for Better Fund to
support UNICEF programs that provide education for children in and
around Syria whose schooling has been disrupted.
The Western Union Company will provide a one-to-one match of consumer
donations to The Western Union Education for Better Fund,
benefiting Syrian children, effective in early October through December
31st, 2014, up to a combined total of $100,000. Consumer
donations will be part of a “no transfer fee*” program online at www.WesternUnion.com
or using the Western Union® Quick Collect®,
Quick PaySM, or Payments Service through participating
Western Union® Agent locations. As part of the company’s
ongoing partnership with UNICEF, Western Union has committed the
funds to support UNICEF education programs benefiting Syrian children.
Full details will be jointly announced when the fund is activated.
During emergencies, schools are critical in helping provide normalcy for
children. UNICEF is setting up temporary schools, recruiting teachers,
distributing educational materials and is promoting an innovative
home-based self-learning program in order to help Syrian children regain
access to education.
“Education is one of the surest paths to a better future, and it
shouldn’t be put on hold during times of need,” said Luella Chavez
D’Angelo, Chief Communications Officer, Western Union. “Western Union
makes it easy for people to get money where it is needed most through
our reliable, convenient payments network. The Western Union
Education for Better Fund will help provide quality education for
Syrian children through UNICEF, while making it easier for nearly
everyone, everywhere to help.”
“Since the last school year, nearly two million Syrian children have
dropped out of school, which could turn a crisis into permanent impact
in their lives. Yet, if we come together, we can change that,” said
Gordon Brown, UN Special Envoy for Education. “We are promoting the idea
of ‘education without borders’ and Western Union is extremely well
positioned to help. We applaud Western Union’s efforts to raise
awareness and funding for this unmet need, and encourage others to join
them.”
The Western Union Education for Better Fund, benefiting Syrian
children, is part of Western Union’s Education for Better program, a
three-year commitment to grow young minds. It includes a commitment to
“shared value” education products, advocacy for education, cause
marketing, volunteerism and giving. In 2013 alone, Education for Better
has funded programs in dozens of countries including Jamaica, Mexico,
Nigeria, Turkey, and the U.S.
*Western Union also makes money from foreign exchange.
About Western Union
The Western Union Company (NYSE:WU) is a leader in global payment
services. Together with its Vigo, Orlandi Valuta, Pago Facil and Western
Union Business Solutions branded payment services, Western Union
provides consumers and businesses with fast, reliable and convenient
ways to send and receive money around the world, to send payments and to
purchase money orders. As of June 30, 2013, the Western Union, Vigo and
Orlandi Valuta branded services were offered through a combined network
of approximately 520,000 agent locations in 200 countries and
territories and approximately 115,000 ATMs. In 2012, The Western Union
Company completed 231 million consumer-to-consumer transactions
worldwide, moving $79 billion of principal between consumers, and 432
million business payments. For more information, visit www.westernunion.com.
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Source: The Western Union Company