Western Union Unveils Plan to Benefit Children via New Western Union Education for Better Fund, Urges Consumers to Support UNICEF

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Oct 02, 2013, 01:00 ET

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.

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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 31^st, 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 Pay^SM, 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