Some leading ICT companies in South Africa have redirected their resources in partnership with global IT giant HP to roll out IT hardware to learners and schools during the COVID-19 crisis, to ensure education continues during school closures.
Leading distributor Tarsus Technology Group, together with Go Rentals and Dispose-IT, moved quickly to kick-start the HP Refresh Programme in South Africa, a non-profit initiative that has been launched globally.
It is the mission of this charity initiative to encourage any South African business to donate their old and unwanted laptops and desktops to the programme. These devices will then be securely wiped of data, sanitised, reloaded with a basic operating system and distributed to deserving schools and colleges countrywide.
Executives from the contributing companies are lending their time and expertise to this project that will literally change the lives of students and the communities they live in around the country.
“Almost all countries across Africa have faced some form of school and university closures to contain the pandemic. This means there are a very large number of children and young people that are not receiving any form of schooling. HP Refresh will make sure students can keep learning during this challenging time by helping communities upgrade older PCs that are considered outdated or underpowered.
I’m excited that our partners Tarsus Distribution and Dispose IT made the programme roll-out in South Africa so quickly. Only by joining efforts can we overcome the challenge,” comments Elisabeth Moreno, Vice-President and Managing Director, HP Africa.
They now make the plea to businesses across South Africa to keep those device donations of laptops, desktops and tablets rolling in. Both working and non-working equipment is accepted. Even old devices can be upgraded with simple operating systems that work in the school environment. The companies have committed their configuration centres to assisting with the repair, configuration and logistics.
Your old computer is a gift that allows a child to learn from home, and every unit counts. It is important to note that, despite the fact that the initiative is driven by HP, it has made it clear that equipment donations are completely brand-agnostic and any and all brands made available will be welcomed with open arms.
For more, go to www.computerlab.org.za
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