PORTLAND, Ore. & ENGLEWOOD, Colo.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Mercy Corps and its global philanthropic partners The Western Union Company (NYSE: WU) and the Western Union Foundation today announced plans to continue their ongoing work to create global economic opportunity with a focus on programs in Africa, the Americas and Asia. A $500,000 contribution to Mercy Corps from the Western Union Foundation will help aid social entrepreneurs who generate jobs, and financial literacy programs that help workers convert wages to wealth.
In 2011, together, they will build upon existing programs in China, Haiti and Indonesia and have goals to reach an additional 10,000 beneficiaries through programs in Kenya, Japan, Pakistan and the Americas.
Time-tested approaches will help entrepreneurs improve their livelihoods through small businesses that offer affordable, nutritious food; provide water and sanitation services; and create and market personal care products and household supplies otherwise unavailable in their communities. New programs and tools to encourage saving and improve money management will be tested and brought to scale via the global networks of both organizations.
Mercy Corps was selected by Western Union as a strategic philanthropic partner in 2007 from a slate of hundreds of exceptional non-governmental organizations (NGOs). Since then, Mercy Corps has played an important role in Western Union’s five-year, $50 million Our World, Our Family program. Together, Western Union, its Foundation and Mercy Corps have positively impacted the lives of more than 685,000 people in 13 countries since 2007.
Highlights of the 2011 program will include:
China: taking financial education programs for migrant women and youth to scale by engaging local NGOs that have the human resource capacity and funding to continue the roll-out of the program, which was initiated by Mercy Corps and the Western Union Foundation in 2009
Haiti: direct grants to continue training and funding of small businesses and a dollar-for-dollar match of consumer gifts to Mercy Corps for a total fund raising goal of $1 million by year-end 2011
Indonesia: creation of businesses and jobs among Indonesia’s urban poor
Kenya: development of new financial literacy programs for Kenya’s youth
Pakistan: assist with the recovery of small businesses destroyed by flooding through micro-grants
Americas: support of the MicroMentor program, which connects entrepreneurs in the Americas with executives who offer fee-free business guidance and provides other short-term assistance for struggling businesses
“Mercy Corps has been a tremendous partner for Western Union,” said Luella Chavez D’Angelo, president, the Western Union Foundation. “The Mercy Corps team not only meets the urgent needs of people facing heart-wrenching circumstances, they look for creative ways to build economic independence. Together, we have expanded on models that work and pioneered new tools and technologies for economic growth and positive social change. Our mutual goal is to create initiatives that are self-sustaining and will continue to add value to families and communities for generations to come.”
Last year, the Mercy Corps and Western Union helped create economic opportunity for thousands of people in impoverished regions and in communities devastated by natural disaster. Highlights include the financial education of migrant women and children in China, support of 40 social entrepreneurs in Indonesia and the distribution of seed capital to small enterprises struggling to survive and grow after the earthquake in Haiti.
“For more than 30 years, Mercy Corps has been creating custom solutions that address the social and economic challenges of an increasingly complex world,” said Neal Keny-Guyer, CEO of Mercy Corps. “The work we do is only possible because of our relationships with organizations like Western Union. Their vision and support has been invaluable in our shared work. Together, I am confident that we will continue to empower people to find their own solutions for enriching their lives.”
About Mercy Corps
Mercy Corps helps people turn the crises they confront into the opportunities they deserve. Driven by local needs, our programs provide communities in the world’s toughest places with the tools and support they need to transform their own lives. Our worldwide team in 36 countries is improving the lives of 19 million people. For more information, see mercycorps.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. The Western Union, Vigo and Orlandi Valuta-branded services are offered through a combined network of 445,000 Agent locations in 200 countries and territories. In 2010, The Western Union Company completed 214 million consumer-to-consumer transactions worldwide, moving $76 billion of principal between consumers, and 405 million business payments. For more information, visit www.westernunion.com.
About the Western Union Foundation
Through Western Union's Our World, Our Family® signature program, the Western Union Foundation supports initiatives to empower people through access to economic opportunity. Recognized by the Committee Encouraging Corporate Philanthropy in 2009, the program is a five-year, $50 million commitment reflecting efforts made by Western Union employees, agents and partners around the world. Since its inception, the Western Union Foundation has awarded more than $71.7 million in grants to more than 2010 nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) in 104 countries and territories. To learn more, visit http://foundation.westernunion.com
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