News  |  How We Help  |  Computer Reuse and Learning Center

NEWS

Seattle Non Profit Saving the World through Computer Reuse

Seattle, November 2010

Access to computers is not the first thing that comes to mind after a major natural disaster. But after earthquakes in Haiti and Chile destroyed offices and schools and flooding in Pakistan required aid workers to manage thousands of homeless people, computers were just what was needed to help these communities rebuild.

Days after a massive earthquake in Haiti, the humanitarian relief organization World Concern, reached out to InterConnection about their need for computers. Five of their offices in Haiti sustained significant damage and laptops were needed as part of the rebuilding effort.

Susan Talbot, World Concern’s Gift-in-Kind Manager, stated, “Imagine the loss of computers in this disaster. We work with orphans and vulnerable children and their caregivers. Our offices have sustained unknown amounts of damage. Our capacity to respond to disasters relies on our capacity to communicate not only with each other but with donors and funders, sharing beneficiary stories."

InterConnection immediately jumped into action by building a webpage that allowed anyone, anywhere in the nation to donate their laptop to this cause. People went to the webpage and after filling out a form were emailed a pre-paid mailing label if their laptop met certain reuse qualifications. Laptops were received and refurbished by InterConnection before they were shipped to Haiti.
Within a few days donated laptops started to arrive from donors. On Susan’s first trip to Haiti to deliver aid, she was able to bring fully refurbished laptops for the offices.

Just one month after the earthquake in Haiti, southern Chile was devastated by an 8.8 magnitude earthquake that killed 521 people and destroyed hundreds of buildings.

InterConnection responded to the disaster by working with World Vision and Microsoft to donate computers to schools in the remote area of Alto Bíobío region located in southern Chile. One of the main challenges the people of this region face is isolation. Their isolation and need for technology became more severe after the earthquake in February, people were unable to connect with aid groups or tell others about their situation.

Julio Mendoza, director of the “Pewen Mau” Program for Regional Development states: “There is Internet in Alto Biobío, but people don´t have easy access to it. There are no Internet cafes and only a couple of offices or institutions have this service.”

The humanitarian relief organization World Vision worked with InterConnection to set up public technology access centers.

InterConnection, received surplus computers from Microsoft, refurbished the computers in Seattle, and shipped them to Chile. Fifty refurbished computers were donated to by InterConnection to this project.

The computers went to five schools, a community radio station and a firestation.

Nadia Sagredo, a teacher at a local school, points out: “When a child from here finishes eighth grade and heads to the city, she faces a huge challenge. It takes almost half a semester for a child to adjust to the different realities and the new demands in the city. It’s not because the education level is higher in the city, but simply it’s the social differences. This is why access to the Internet is important. It helps to open a wide world to them and prepare them for what’s out there.”

Flooding in Pakistan left hundreds of thousands of people homeless. The non governmental organization Action Aid Pakistan needed computers to track and manage the distribution of aid.

Microsoft’s Community Affairs program contacted InterConnection and asked if they could refurbish surplus employee laptops and send them to Action Aid Pakistan, with the help of the non profit NetHope. Within a week InterConnection refurbished 122 laptops and prepared them for shipment. Action Aid Pakistan employees are using the laptops to better manage and distribute humanitarian aid.

These are all examples of how surplus computers, either donated from indivdiuals or businesses, can be used for charitable purposes, even global relief efforts.

InterConnection specializes in refurbishing computers and getting them to those in need around the world. Weather it be for improving access to technology after natural disasters or donations to schools and non profits, InterConection’s refurbished computer program changes lives.