Grant Cycle Includes US$350,000 Commitment to Teach For All
ENGLEWOOD, Colo.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--
The
Western Union Foundation today announced its first quarter 2014
grant commitment of US$1.87 million, which will be distributed to
nonprofit, non-governmental organizations (NGOs) around the world.
The grants help increase access to – and improve the quality of –
education programs in multiple regions. Through its signature program Education
for Better, the Western Union Foundation is committed to
supporting secondary and vocational education programs that facilitate
financial and economic opportunity for individuals, their families, and
their communities.
The highlight of the Q1 grant cycle is a US$350,000 commitment to Teach
For All, a global network of independent social enterprises that
works to expand educational opportunity in more than 30 countries. Teach
For All partners enlist their nations' most promising future leaders to
commit two years to teach in high-need communities, and foster their
ongoing leadership as a long-term force for educational equity.
“Education for Better provides assistance for education
programs in key markets, and leverages the strength of The Western Union
Company’s global network to achieve a tangible social impact on the
communities and customers we serve,” said
Patrick Gaston
, president of
the Western Union Foundation. “Our relationships with NGOs around the
world are an important part of the Education for Better
program, and demonstrate our continued commitment to setting a global
framework for financial inclusion and economic development.”
According to
Wendy Kopp
, CEO of Teach For All, “The problem of inequity
in education is global, and solving it requires the commitment and
investment of partners across sectors and borders. Having the Western
Union Foundation’s continued commitment to the work of Teach For All is
a tremendous step forward in supporting and making connections between
our 33 partner organizations.”
Since the launch of Education for Better in the fourth
quarter of 2012, the Western Union Foundation has committed nearly
US$9.1 million in key markets around the globe, in support of the
program. The Foundation’s Education for Better grants have
reached more than 140 NGOs in 46 countries.
Additional NGOs receiving a grant as part of the Western Union
Foundation first quarter 2014 cycle include:
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In collaboration with Western Union Agent Kenya
Commercial Bank, The Western Union Foundation will support the KCB
Foundation’s scholarship program, which provides assistance to 200
students in Kenya, including increased access to secondary school
education and mentoring programs.
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A grant to the Eden
Social Welfare Foundation in Taiwan, funded in conjunction with
Western Union Agent King’s
Town Bank, will support the Elephant Family Project for
Disadvantaged Communities, which provides after-school tutoring
services and skills workshops that help build economic, employment and
educational opportunities for students in Taiwan.
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The Institute
for International Education in the United States and Canada will
receive a grant that will support the Western
Union Family Scholarship Program. Now in its 10th
cycle, the Family Scholarship Program is intended to help two members
of the same family move up the economic development ladder through
education. Approximately 11 families will receive support for
educational activity as a result of the Western Union Foundation grant.
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A grant to Junior
Achievement Ecuador, funded in conjunction with Western Union Agent
DHL Express (Ecuador), will help provide entrepreneurship training
and self-sufficiency training to low-income Ecuadorian students, so
they can succeed in the global economy.
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The SS Educational Trust in Pakistan will receive a grant to support
the SS Public School - Education for All Program. The grant will be
used to purchase text books, and assist in the development of a
science and computer-skills laboratory, which will serve nearly 600
underprivileged students, and increase the quality of education and
facilities standards in the country. The grant was funded in
collaboration with Western Union Agent Habib
Qatar International Exchange Pakistan Ltd.
For more information, including the mission and purpose of the Western
Union Foundation, please visit www.westernunionfoundation.org.
About The Western Union Foundation
The Western Union Foundation is dedicated to creating a better world,
where the ability to realize dreams through economic opportunity is not
just a privilege for the few but a right for all. Through its signature
program, Education for Better, and with the support of The Western Union
Company, its employees, Agents, and business partners, The Western Union
Foundation works to realize this vision by supporting education and
disaster relief efforts as pathways toward a better future. Our combined
social ventures efforts make life better for individuals, families and
communities around the world. Since its inception, The Western Union
Foundation has paid more than $96.0 million in grants and other giving.
These funds have been pledged to more than 2,720 nongovernmental
organizations in more than 133 countries and territories. The Western
Union Foundation is a separate §501(c)(3) recognized United States
charity. To learn more, visit www.westernunionfoundation.org.
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 March 31, 2014, the Western Union, Vigo and
Orlandi Valuta branded services were offered through a combined network
of over 500,000 agent locations in 200 countries and territories and
over 100,000 ATMs. In 2013, The Western Union Company completed 242
million consumer-to-consumer transactions worldwide, moving $82 billion
of principal between consumers, and 459 million business payments. For
more information, visit www.westernunion.com.
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Source: Western Union