Computer Aid International - refurbishing unwanted computers for reuse in the not-for-profit sector in the developing world
Last updated 4/14/2008 2:46:56 PM
Computer Aid International sends its PCs to schools, colleges, hospitals and charities in over 100 developing countries. Computer Aid works with partner organisations in the countries it sends its PCs to, who provide the IT training and technical support. Below are some of the projects Computer Aid sends its PCs to.
FOOD SECURITY
National meteorological offices seek to improve the weather forecasting and advice provided to rural farmers in order to address food insecurity. Short-range forecasts are used to inform the critical decisions for agricultural farmers about when to sow and when to reap.
Medium-range forecasts and advice can be used to determine whether a drought-resistant seed variety will maximize yield. Computer Aid has provided computers with specialised software to every district weather station in Kenya alongside training developed by the UK Met Office and the University of Reading. This is used to generate highly localised and timely forecasts to assist rural producers in the battle against extreme poverty and hunger. Computer Aid has also supplied computers to the Ugandan, Mozambique and Zimbabwe Meteorological Offices.
UNIVERSAL PRIMARY EDUCATION – IT LITERACY IN SCHOOLS
School children are the main recipients of Computer Aid PCs and we have so far provided an ICT education to more than a million children in the developing world.
One recipient of refurbished computers is Our Lady of Fatima Secondary School, situated in one of Nairobi's poorest slums. The majority of children at the school come from a disadvantaged background. Typically they live in shacks in vast urban slums with no running water or sanitation. For these students, the opportunities provided through education and IT literacy offer a way out. In Nairobi, the job market is extremely competitive, and it is only with computer skills that young people can compete for professional or administrative jobs.