DFID donates laptops to developing world

Old PCs get a second life in educational projects in Africa

27 February 2009 14:45 GMT / By Amy-Mae Elliott

The government's Department for International Development is donating over 1000 laptops to the Computer Aid International, a not-for-profit organisation that professionally refurbishes computers before passing them onto where they are most needed in the developing world.

The laptops will get data wiped to UK secret service standards, cleaned and professionally refurbished before being provided to organisations in developing countries.

Examples of where the laptops could end up include a Nigerian resource centre that provides higher education skills to women as well as facilities that provide health information via the web.

Simon Jones, CIO, DFID, says: "DFID is very happy to support Computer Aid, an organisation with goals which are closely aligned with our own. We pass on our surplus equipment safe in the knowledge that it will have a second life helping to reduce poverty. But there is an added bonus in that these donations help us to meet our environmental obligations as we know their disposal will be carefully controlled".

To find out more about donating equipment to Computer Aid International, visit: www.computeraid.org.