Microsoft announced the winner of the tenth global nonprofit organization partner for the Upgrade Your World Initiative, the Beagle Freedom Project. Microsoft also announced voting has opened for people to vote via social media for a chance for their favorite local nonprofit in 10 different countries to receive a donation.
Microsoft Corp. celebrated the launch of Windows 10 on July 29, 2015, by committing to Upgrade Your World, a year-long initiative that celebrates people and organizations doing great things, including a series of partnerships with ten global and 100 local nonprofit organizations. Microsoft’s mission is to empower every person and organization to achieve more. Upgrade Your World is just one example of the many ways Microsoft contributes to local communities worldwide, as Microsoft and its employees donate more than $1 billion each year to more than 100,000 nonprofit organizations around the world.
“With Windows 10 we are celebrating people that are doing great things and it has been humbling to see the fantastic work people and organizations around the world are doing to upgrade the world. From Australia to China to the US, we’ve been inspired by the great work of organizations like Cure Batten, Do Something, the International Anti-Poaching Foundation and Hamogelo,” said Yusuf Mehdi, Corporate Vice President, Windows and Devices, Microsoft. “We congratulate the Beagle Freedom Project as our new global partner and look forward to seeing the amazing work they will continue to do as part of #UpgradeYourWorld. We also look forward to celebrating an additional 100 organizations around the world over the coming months.”
Beagle Freedom Project becomes the new global partner for Upgrade Your World
Microsoft selected nine global nonprofit organizations and asked people to vote for the tenth. With more than 2,000 organizations nominated, Microsoft today announced the winning organization, the Beagle Freedom Project. Beagle Freedom Project’s mission is to save the lives of laboratory animals and change the lives of people through these rescue operations. The organization rescues, rehabilitates and re-homes animals used in research laboratories across the globe. Through these rescues, Beagle Freedom Project tells their stories in an effort to educate the public about animal testing, encourage dialogue about better science and alternatives to animals used for testing resulting in the advancement of animal and human welfare.
In addition to a monetary contribution of $500,000, the Beagle Freedom Project will receive a combination of Microsoft technology, services, and promotional support.
Local #UpgradeYourWorld voting starts now in 10 countries
As part of the global Upgrade Your World initiative, Microsoft will be spot lighting 100 local nonprofit organizations making an impact in the following 10countries: Australia, China, France, Germany, India, Japan, Kenya, Mexico, the United Kingdom and the United States. Microsoft has already identified 50 of the nonprofit organizations (five of the 10 in each country)to receive a monetary donation of $50,000 each, and invites people around the world to vote for their favorite local nonprofit organizations in each country to help select the additional 50 organizations.The top five vote-getters in each country will receive a donation, joining the 50 nonprofits already chosen.In all, 10 organizations in 10 countries will each receive$50,000, totaling $5 million.To cast a vote for an organization, post on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram using #UpgradeYourWorld[country abbreviation,U.S. example: #UpgradeYourWorldUS], #vote, and tag the @[nonprofit].
In Kenya, five Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) who have contributed immensely towards upgrading their part of the world have already been selected. These organizations engage in diverse activities that are aimed at empowering the communities they work with to achieve more in life.
The five organizations selected are The African Centre For Women, Information and Communications Technology (ACWICT), Computers for Schools Kenya (CFSK), Homeboyz Foundation, I Choose Life – Africa and inABLE.
“I call upon you all of you today and the online community in Kenya to join Windows in sharing how you #UpgradeYourWorld in big and small ways , sharing what needs upgrading and voting to help us choose the non profits you care about,” said Kunle Awosika Microsoft Kenya Country Manager.
He further added that Microsoft will continue with the government, private sector partners and community based organizations to promote innovation, youth employment and impact communities both locally and globally.
September’s Upgrade Your World global nonprofit partner is Save the Children
During the month of September, Microsoft is joining forces with Save the Children to support their efforts to invest in children’s lives by giving them the opportunity to learn new tools. Save the Children works in the world’s most vulnerable places, from America to Zimbabwe – saving one child at a time. For example, in Vietnam, Save the Children is providing services in a community situated in the remote northern mountainous area of Vietnam where nearly half of the households are under poverty line and more than 20% of the population is also illiterate. Learn more here about the impact Save the Children is having.
“We are really proud to be Windows 10’s featured nonprofit in September. As children in the United States and in many countries head back to school this month, we want to shine a spotlight on the importance of early education and the preschool teachers who inspire us all,” said Carolyn Miles, president and CEO of Save the Children. “Teaching rock stars like Sung Thi Kim in northern rural Vietnam – a college-educated preschool teacher who came back to her remote village to make a difference – are upgrading our world by giving children a foundation for success in school and life.”
To further Save the Children’s mission, Microsoft is providing the organization with a complete software upgrade, empowering their global team to continue to effectively serve their mission.
About Microsoft
Microsoft (Nasdaq “MSFT” @microsoft) is the leading platform and productivity company for the mobile-first, cloud-first world, and its mission is to empower every person and every organization on the planet to achieve more.