LIMA, Peru--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Western Union announces the launch of its "Moving Warmth for Better” program. The program, which features two very distant communities, Lampa (Peru) and Waskaganish (Canada), were able to exchange mutual knowledge and tackle an afflicting problem: how to protect Andean communities from extremely low temperatures during the winter.
Western Union, supported by advertising agency FCB Mayo, sponsored this program to help address a severe problem that has caused the deaths of children and animals for many years. After analyzing countries on the other side of the hemisphere that had a similar climate to Peru, they noticed how well equipped these other communities were to dealing with the cold. The teams then began to initiate activities to learn from these communities and apply this learning to the Peruvian communities.
"The goal of the program is to exchange knowledge, overcoming barriers like language, customs and distances, in search for solutions. Western Union plays a role in fostering the connection of these communities to help address these challenges," said Juan Carlos Blanco, Vice president of Western Union for West South America.
As part of the program, Canadian Waskaganish natives, such as Virginia Wabano, President of the Cree Women of EeuouIstchee Association, and Lillian Traper, a teacher of a specific “animal skin technique,” traveled to Peru to teach Lampa residents how to insulate their homes with animal skins. On the other side of the globe, Lampa residents taught the Canadians how to crop quinoa, a typical Peruvian seed, adding a rich nutritious variety to the Canadian community’s diet.
This is the first initiative in a series of activities planned for the program, which will be shared via social networks within the community, with the hope that this will engage more supporters to join the cause.
The goal is to promote other kinds of exchanges between different cities and communities across the world and improve lives.
To see the exchange, go to: http://www.movingwarmthforbetter.com/; to the Spanish version, please visit: http://www.intercambiosquecambianvidas.com/.
ABOUT WESTERN UNION
The Western Union Company 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 December 31, 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 and kiosks. In 2014, The Western Union Company completed 255 million consumer-to-consumer transactions worldwide, moving $85 billion of principal between consumers, and 484 million business payments. For more information, visit www.westernunion.com.
ABOUT WASKAGANISH, CREE COMMUNITY, CANADA
The Cree are a group of native North Americans numbering more than 200,000, making it one of the largest native ethnic groups in Canada. The majority of the Cree, who live in Quebec, Ontario, Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Alberta, are the descendants of indigenous peoples who lived in the eastern forests, while those who live in Saskatchewan and Southern Alberta descended from indigenous peoples who made their homes on the prairie. The Cree endures temperatures during the winter that can reach minus 20 degrees Celsius. http://www.waskaganish.ca
ABOUT LAMPA, PUNO
According to the 2005 census, the province of Lampa has 48,239 inhabitants. 35.92% of them live in well protected urban areas but 64.08% primarily lives in rural areas enduring harsh winter months with temperatures well below zero for extended periods of time. Members of the community of Coachico live in adobe houses in the higher part of the city, making a living by raising animals and growing potatoes and quinoa.
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