The Western Union Foundation has announced first-quarter grants totaling $1.2 million to nongovernmental organizations working to expand access to and improve the quality of education around the globe.

Awarded as part of the foundation's Education for Better initiative, a three-year commitment to secondary education and vocational training launched last September with the Western Union Company, the grants will support projects in Africa, Asia, the Middle East, and the Americas.

First-quarter grant recipients include KickStart's efforts in Kenya to provides small business training for farmers; Give2Asia's programs focused on vocational education for low-income families in China, India, the Philippines, and Fiji/Samoa; the Vielfalter Initiative, which offers cultural diversity education across Austria; and the Divya Chaya Trust in India, in support of its computer literacy programs, English training, and career counseling for youth from economically disadvantaged families.

"The lack of universal access to quality education is a significant problem with a very clear solution," said Western Union Foundation president Patrick Gaston. "Through Education for Better, we look forward to making a direct impact through our grantmaking and developing collaborations with NGOs, business partners, and the public sectors that are committed to expanding educational opportunities for global communities."