Press Release - 15th January 2009

15 January 2009 : The e-Learning Foundation, a national charity dedicated to erasing the digital divide in the UK, confirmed at a Steljes sponsored lunch today that it has teamed up with Digital Links to enable schools to reuse redundant computers and help create incredible opportunities for children in Africa.

Schools across the UK who are members of the e-Learning Foundation’s Affiliated School Scheme will be able to donate their old computer equipment to Digital Links, who will refurbish it for use in local communities across Africa.

Since 2002 Digital Links has distributed over 65,000 refurbished computers to schools and other institutions in Africa, helping to improve education and opportunities for over 1.5 million people.

“There is much synergy between Digital Links and the e-Learning Foundation”, commented Lord Parry Mitchell, Chair of the e-Learning Foundation. “We share the same objective to close the digital divide. Currently 98% of children in Africa leave school never having touched a computer. By providing them with refurbished end of life UK school computers we can help provide children in Africa with real opportunities for a better future”.

“We are delighted to be working with the e-Learning Foundation to link those UK schools who want to address home access through a personal portable computer with schools in Africa who can benefit from desktops that are no longer needed. The refurbished computers and software end up on school desks in Africa where they have a profound effect on the future of young people, providing them with the tools needed to take part in our digital age,” commented Sir Paul Judge, Chairman of Digital Links.

“As well as helping to close the digital divide, the partnership also brings educational benefits, providing children with valuable insight into the cultures of others,” commented Valerie Thompson, Chief Executive of the e-Learning Foundation. “And there are environmental benefits too. Rather than going into landfill the computers now enjoy another lease of life. “

“Through our relationship with the e-Learning Foundation we are looking to illuminate the growing digital and knowledge divide in Africa which threatens economic stability and progress. Computers may have finished their working lives in UK classrooms, but they can make an enormous difference to a child’s education in Africa, where one recycled computer is used by around twenty-five children per week,” commented Aissatou Sow, Executive Director of Digital Links.

Digital Links is also involved in a number of projects in Africa that demonstrate the enormous impacts that technology can have on local communities. In Sierra Leone, for example, computers and wireless technology have been used to improve access to information in schools, hospitals and community centres.