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Global Appeal for Displaced Syrian Children Benefits UNICEF through Western Union’s Education for Better Fund
In the lead up to World Humanitarian Day on August 19, a renewed appeal to support education for Syrian children has been issued by Western Union, (NYSE:WU), a leader in global payment services, and A World at School, a global education initiative, to support UNICEF education programs for Syrian youth.
Through December 31, 2014, donations through Western Union’s Education for Better Fund will be matched one-for-one by Western Union, up to a total of USD100, 000. Donations will be transfer fee-free , and one hundred percent of the funds will be donated through Western Union’s Education for Better Fund to support UNICEF programs in Syria and neighboring countries.
UNICEF has been on the ground since before the conflict in Syria began, helping to mobilize what is now the largest humanitarian operation in history. UNICEF is providing access to education and other vital services to the most vulnerable children who are out of school in Syria and its neighboring countries, including: increasing access to safe learning spaces, distributing learning materials and recreational activities, providing psychosocial support, constructing classrooms, rehabilitating schools including water, sanitation and hygiene facilities, and supporting teacher training initiatives.
Maher Kayali, Western Union Global Communications, said, “The United States is a top sending corridor into Syria. We thank our customers who have already contributed to this important effort, and appeal to new supporters to join us in our efforts to provide education for children who are out of school in Syria and its neighboring countries.
“Western Union believes education is one of the surest paths to financial inclusion and supports several educational initiatives globally.”
Justin van Fleet, chief of staff to the UN Special Envoy for Global Education, welcomed the initiative, stating that, “As we enter the final 500 days to achieve our goal of universal education, Global Business Coalition for Education companies like Western Union and their customers are having a tremendous impact on helping us get every child into school. With well over 1 million children and youth refugees resulting from the Syria conflict, these contributions to UNICEF can help ensure no child is denied this basic right.”
Juliette Touma, UNICEF spokesperson, based in Jordan, added, “UNICEF has been working around the clock to provide all the support it can to Syrian children and their families, supplying food, clean water and sanitation, immunizations, counseling, education and more.
“Access to education is especially important during an emergency, as it offers children protection against exploitation and harm, and creates a sense of routine which is crucial to the healing process following emotionally distressing experiences.
“We are grateful for Western Union’s Education for Better Fund’s support of UNICEF and we thank citizens around the world that have already supported and will continue to donate to the fund, which will help Syrian children continue their education and provide a safe space for them to learn and play,” Touma further added.
To donate:
• Donations can be made through Western Union at participating Agent locations where the Western Union Quick Collect®, Quick PaySM, or Payments service is available.
• Through the Send form, check the ‘Pay a Bill’ box. The Company Name (or code city) is “Education for Better Fund” and the Account Number is “DONATION.”
• In the U.S., donations can be made via westernunion.com using a credit card or debit card.
Additional details can be found at http://corporate.westernunion.com/Education_Fund.html.
Background
Western Union is a long-standing supporter of UNICEF’s educational programs and humanitarian aid programs, working with children around the world. The Education for Better Fund was launched by Western Union, in collaboration with UNICEF and A World at School, to raise funds to support UNICEF education programs for Syrian children.
The Western Union Education for Better Fund is part of Education for Better, a three-year commitment announced by Western Union in 2012 to grow young minds through access to quality education.
Approximately 6.5 million Syrian children—an increase of more than two million compared to last year—are now in need of immediate humanitarian assistance, whether inside the country or living as refugees in nearby countries, the United Nations recently announced.
Nearly three million children have been out of school or are at risk of dropping out. They are on the verge of losing their chance of building a future for themselves and face the risk of becoming “a lost generation.”
But there is still hope for these children. UNICEF has been on the ground since before the conflict in Syria began, helping to mobilize what is now the largest humanitarian operation in history.
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, 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.
About UNICEF
UNICEF promotes the rights and wellbeing of every child, in everything it does. Together with its partners, UNICEF works in 190 countries and territories to translate that commitment into practical action, focusing special effort on reaching the most vulnerable and excluded children, to the benefit of all children, everywhere.
About A World At School
A World at School is a global initiative to mobilize efforts to deliver education and learning to the 58 million children who miss out. The Education for Better Fund is housed within The Global Business Coalition for Education (GBC-Education) of which Western Union is a founding member. GBC-Education, a US-registered 501c3 organization brings the business community together to help deliver quality education to all of the world’s children. Both GBC-Education and A World at School are initiatives of children’s charity Theirworld set up by Sarah Brown in 2003 to help the world’s most disadvantaged children realize their full potential through health and education.
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