January 31, 2011, 10:49 AM — Computer Aid International has called for companies to donate unwanted equipment to meet a current shortfall, especially in monitors.
The charity, which supports the recycling of electronic waste and refurbishes donated computer equipment for use by not-for-profit organisations, said that while firms are donating their computer base units, around half do not include monitors.
"We need donations of computers, laptops, monitors, cables, mice and keyboards for reuse across hospitals and schools in developing countries," said Anja Ffrench, director of marketing and communications at Computer Aid.
"We have got a big waiting list, but we are not getting enough monitors. There must be schools, colleges and companies that have monitors they are not using and maybe they do not realise that they [the monitors] can have a second life."
Ffrench said that the charity is looking for about 7,000 monitors, and that Computer Aid is unable to ship out refurbished PCs while they are incomplete.
"We can use CRT monitors, any monitors from 2002 and any Pentium 4 equipment. We accept any condition," Ffrench added.
Computer Aid is experiencing a shortage of donations as firms seem to be holding onto their hardware to avoid paying for an equipment refresh during the recession.
But it is not the only charity looking for unwanted computer equipment.
The Association for Spina Bifida and Hydrocephalus (ASBAH) is also calling for PCs, laptops and monitors to be donated, for use by the ASBAH staff and volunteers in the charity's Peterborough headquarters.
In return for donations of these items, the charity is offering to send out press releases to local media and messages promoting a company's donation via social networks, such as Facebook, to its more than 10,000 followers and friends. In addition, organisations that donate will be given free publicity on the ASBAH website, ASBAH.org.
For more information on how to make a donation, contact Darren Fower at ASBAH at darrenf@asbah.org.
