ENGLEWOOD, Colorado,
October 2, 2013 /PRNewswire/ --
Consumers Worldwide Can Donate to New Fund Fee Free at
Participating Western Union Agent Locations or Online
at http://www.WesternUnion.com,
With Company Match
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.
(Logo:
http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20130515/613588 )
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 http://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
http://www.westernunion.com.
SOURCE Western Union