By Elizabeth Roscoe, Executive Director of the Western Union Foundation
Western Union and the Western Union Foundation are supporting relief efforts, to help address the most critical needs of those in Mocoa, Colombia and surrounding areas.
The Western Union Foundation is committing USD$ 25,000 to Mercy Corps who will help hundreds of families in Mocoa meet their urgent needs and begin to recover from this disaster.
Mercy Corps will distribute more than 19,000 water purifiers to ensure families have access to clean water, and provide access to hygiene kits, kitchen items and other essential supplies. To help children and young people cope with emotional trauma, they will also be providing psychosocial support in schools, which are being used as shelters, and train teachers on emotional recovery strategies.
Between April 12 and April 26, 2017, the Western Union Foundation will also match contributions made to this effort by Western Union Agents and business customers one-to-one, and will match donations made by employees to the impacted region two-to-one. In total, contributions from the Foundation through this comprehensive effort is up to a total of USD$ 50,000.
Western Union will provide $0 Fee* money transfers from the United States for pay out at Agent locations in Colombia for two weeks, from April 12, to April 25, 2017**. Consumers should use promo code: APOYOPARACOLOMBIA to activate the $0 Fee offer.
The devastation from the torrential rain in Colombia is heart-breaking. Our thoughts are with the people of Mocoa and surrounding areas.
* Western Union makes money on the exchange of currencies.
** Due to the severity of the disaster, some Western Union Agent locations in Colombia may not be immediately operational or possess sufficient funds.
The Western Union Foundation is a separate §501(c)(3) recognized United States non-profit corporation supported by the Western Union Company, its employees, Agents, and business partners working to support education and disaster relief efforts as pathways toward a better future.