CEBU, Philippines (February 26, 2015) (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- MoneyGram (NASDAQ:MGI), a leading global money transfer company, continues to support educational improvements in the Philippines—one of the largest and most dynamic remittance markets in the world—through a grant by the MoneyGram Foundation to The Asia Foundation.
A photo accompanying this release is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/newsroom/prs/?pkgid=31051
Over the past year, the MoneyGram Foundation has worked with The Asia Foundation, a non-profit international development organization, to donate more than 28,000 books to more than 30 schools throughout the country through the Books for Asia program. More than 6,000 books were donated to 10 public elementary schools and five colleges during a celebration today in Cebu. Cebu is still recovering from the loss of educational infrastructure and supplies that were destroyed during typhoon Haiyan in 2013.
"MoneyGram believes early education is at the heart of a better life through economic opportunities, healthier families, and individual freedom and empowerment and that inspiration drives the focus of the MoneyGram Foundation's work to improve education around the world," stated Alex Lim, MoneyGram's country manager. "The foundation continues to improve and restore educational access in the wake of the typhoon devastation, and we are excited to celebrate this book donation in Cebu, an area that is still in recovery."
The books and educational materials are aimed at developing children's English language skills, enhance knowledge of business, legal, and science professions, and infuse students with an early love of reading, which is critical to literacy.
The book distribution event was spearheaded by MoneyGram' country manager Alex Lim, The Asia Foundation's country representative Dr. Steven Rood, and The Asia Foundation's Books for Asia program coordinator Reynald Ocampo.
The MoneyGram Foundation focuses solely on improving education by providing access to educational facilities and learning resources for children around the world. The grant to the Books for Asia program to fund book distribution in the Philippines is just one of the many grants awarded in Asia through the Foundation.
About MoneyGram International
MoneyGram, a leading money transfer company, provides essential services to consumers who are not fully served by traditional financial institutions. MoneyGram offers worldwide money transfer services in more than 200 countries and territories through a global network of 350,000 agent locations, including retailers, international post offices and banks. MoneyGram also offers bill payment services, issues money orders and processes official checks in select markets.
About MoneyGram Foundation
MoneyGram, a leading global money transfer company, established the MoneyGram Foundation in 2012 to help children around the world gain access to educational facilities and learning resources. Its mission is firmly rooted in the belief that education is at the heart of better economic opportunities, healthier families and individual freedom and empowerment. The MoneyGram Foundation is focused on inspiring minds and improving lives, and grants funds to deserving organizations with this mission in mind. To learn more, please visit moneygramfoundation.org.
About The Asia Foundation
The Asia Foundation is a nonprofit international development organization committed to improving lives across a dynamic and developing Asia. Informed by six decades of experience and deep local expertise, our programs address critical issues affecting Asia in the 21st century—governance and law, economic development, women's empowerment, environment, and regional cooperation. Books for Asia is a well-known program of the Asia Foundation that regularly distributes books and other reading materials for all educational levels in 19 countries. Since it was started in September 1954, Books for Asia has distributed more than 48 million books and journals to tens of thousands of educational institutions throughout Asia. The Philippines alone has been a recipient of 14 million books and journals to public and private institutions across the country.
The photo is also available via AP PhotoExpress.
