Press Release - 18 October 2006

Digital Links, the organisation that urge British companies to "Save a PC" by donating redundant computers for redeployment in the developing world, has just sent it’s 50,000th PC to Africa.

The 50,000th PC was one of 200 systems that has set sail destined for reuse in Ghana’s schools. Digital Links’ Chairman, Sir Paul Judge, says:

"This is a real landmark for Digital Links which in the last four years has become the largest charity provider of computers from Europe to Africa. Following the launch of our Project 10-20-10 last November by Hilary Benn, the Secretary of State for International Development, we are now focussed on reaching 10 million African schoolchildren by 2010. This will require us to build on our current success and to work with our existing and with new partners to distribute another 300,000 computers over the next four years. We shall consequently make a huge difference to the life chances of young people in many African countries."

A computer in an African school is used by approximately 25 children each week. This means that PCs donated through Digital Links have benefited around 125,0000 people, as well as diverting well over a million kilograms of waste from landfill.

Digital Links International are a registered charity that use redundant computers from UK companies for reuse in developing countries. Remarkably, the organisation has been in existence for just four years, but has already managed to refurbish and distribute 50,000 PCs. By enabling the reuse of PCs, the charity limits strain on the world’s resources by ensuring maximum use of each and every PC, whilst also providing vastly improved educational and economic opportunities for young people in developing countries.

The 50,000th PC is on its way to ICT NGO Ghana, an organisation that provide schools with computer suites, fully supported with training and maintenance. ICT NGO Ghana has already computerised 60 schools, and the 50,000th PC will soon be being used in a school in Ghana, where it will improve education delivery and provide the computer skills so essential in today’s world.

Disposing of old PCs through Digital Links is a fantastic opportunity for people to benefit from an essential service at the same time as helping others. The organisation provides a complete IT disposal service to UK schools and companies. Their IT disposal service is fully compliant with all environmental and data protection legislation, and they provide guaranteed and certified data erasure of each and every PC. Proper disposal of computers has become a hot issue in light of ever increasing data fraud and environmental requirements.

The organisation urgently require more schools and companies to donate their redundant PCs, to help improve the lives of people such as Nomathemba Ngikelana, A Digital Links PC user in South Africa. After being given her first access to ICT she wrote to Digital Links to say "How glad am I to know that there is so much to learn from this little box…..It has changed my life and brought the whole world to me"