Shoosmiths donates 652 used IT assets to four projects in Africa

Since 2008, Shoosmiths has donated old IT equipment to Computer Aid International, a charity that helps disadvantaged communities to access digital equipment that will improve their lives.

Computer Aid takes the equipment, wipes the data from it and donates it to different programmes across the world. Our computers typically have a five year life and by donating them in this way we can extend the life of our equipment by another three to four years.

During 2016/2017, 652 IT assets were donated (4,451 kg) to Computer Aid, Of the 652 items donated 367 units were re-used (2,513 kg) and 285 (1,938 kg) were recycled with the re-used assets sent to four projects in Africa. (40% to Kenya, 21% to Zimbabwe, 21% to Sierra Leone and 18% to Ethiopia). 0% of assets went to landfill as Computer Aid’s downstream partners operate a manual disassembly process, breaking down items to their constituent parts which are then sent to specialist refiners for re-use and recycling.

Kisii University, Kenya

Computer Aid has developed a scheme to enable university students to access technology during their studies and at home using laptops. Most of the students have never received educational IT training before university and require extra training to learn basic software packages such as Word, Powerpoint and Excel in order to complete their homework and become employable upon graduation. Shoosmiths’ computers have played a huge role in decreasing student to PC ratios at the university, enabling more students to apply IT to their studies.

World Links hub, Zimbabwe

Computer Aid’s hub World Links distributed Shoosmiths computers to primary and secondary schools immediately before the examination period so that more PCs would be available to students taking their IT exams.

E Class Project in partnership with Njala University, Sierra Leone

Computer Aid partnered with Njala University to equip 10 primary schools with computers in the classroom for the first time. Through the partnership students and teachers will receive ICT training from the university, supporting the integration of IT into the schools’ curriculums.

Ethiopian Knowledge and Technology Transfer Society (EKTTS)

Computer Aid sent our used equipment to EKTTS, its Ethiopian partner hub which works with local government to set up IT labs in primary and secondary schools across the country.

Computer Aid commented ‘We are extremely grateful for Shoosmiths generous donations and endless support over the years. The organisation shares our values and understands the importance of re-use.’