Beginning in 2018 and for a period of 5-years, WPDI and the Western Union Foundation will work together to provide scholarships to 100 refugee students per year at the Kiryandongo Settlement in Uganda. The scholarships will boost educational opportunities for talented children and youth whose families were affected by conflict and displacement from their homes in South Sudan. Beyond the direct beneficiaries of the program, the impact will also be on their communities since the students will be selected among the children and youth who take our courses in conflict resolution education in primary and secondary schools. These hands-on peace education trainings have a transformative impact on students that translate into their daily lives. The new scholarship program will thus have impacts in terms of both education access and peace-building.
The program is rooted in the collaboration between WPDI and the Western Union Foundation, which aims to foster peace and prosperity among the residents of the Kiryandongo Refugee Settlement, which hosts more than 60,000 people who fled the civil war in South Sudan. Our combined efforts in the settlement were launched in 2016 to reach out to young people and communities who have been impacted by conflict but remain committed to regaining their resilience. Our joint objective is to empower groups of young women and men as peace advocates and entrepreneurs who can make a difference in their communities.
Behind this scholarship program is our common belief that young people in refugee camps deserve a special kind of attention. Their lives and dreams cannot be put on pause. We want to avoid lost generations. If these refugee children and youth are deprived of perspectives, revenge and violence will be their only prospect. We need to ensure that they receive an education and that they have the capacity to be active peacemakers in their communities. Investing in education and peacebuilding in emergency contexts is critical for rebuilding societies. 
The Western Union Foundation is a separate charitable corporation that is tax-exempt under §501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code, contributions to which are tax-deductible for US income tax purposes. The Foundation is 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