Recycling computers changes lives
Camara takes disused computers from Ireland and uses them to help African children and teachers gain computing skills. eolas profiles its business model.
Three guiding beliefs underpin the work of Camara: poverty is unacceptable in the 21st century; education is the key to alleviating poverty; and technology has the ability to radically improve education. The organisation, as CEO John Fitzsimons explains, is “an international charity that operates as a social enterprise that uses technology to deliver 21st century skills, and as such improve education in disadvantaged communities around the world.”
His office takes deliveries of disused computers, wipes the data and then sends working PCs on to schools in eight countries overseas – Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda, Zambia, Uganda, Lesotho, Tanzania and Jamaica – as well as in Ireland.
The last location appears surprising but a ‘hub’ was set up in 2010 to deliver technology and training to young people in disadvantaged areas, mostly in Dublin, through schools and community groups. The support provided includes both technical products (e.g. computers, networking, educational software) and services (e.g. training, support and motivation).
Camara’s founder, Cormac Lynch, previously worked in engineering and investment banking. He came up with the idea nine years ago after coming back from a visit to Kenya. Computers in Ireland were regularly being thrown out yet many Kenyan schools had no way to teach even basic ICT skills. The charity’s name comes from a West African word which means ‘teacher’ or ‘one who teaches with experience’. To date, the charity has installed 62,000 computers, trained 16,000 teachers and supported 3,100 e-learning centres (mainly in schools). Schools must meet some basic standards before they can qualify for help i.e. a fairly reliable electricity supply and a brick wall building with bars on the windows and an aluminium door for security.
Equipment and training are sold to schools at heavily subsidised prices. Technicians based at the hub in each country can repair equipment and that support, lasting six to 36 months, is built into the sales contract signed by each school. When a computer reaches the end of its useful life, it is returned to the hub and replaced with a comparable machine. Obsolete equipment is then recycled.
Donated computers should be three to five years old. PCs, laptops, monitors, power leads, keyboards and mice are also welcome. “Crucially we need all the peripherals – cables, mice, keyboard, chargers – plus monitors,” Fitzsimons comments. “We are especially short on monitors. In return, we will send you a certificate of data erasure to give you piece of mind that all your data has been wiped.”
Data are wiped a minimum of three times and wiping can be done either on-site or at Camara’s facility. There is no charge for this service and the data destruction software complies with US Department of Defense standard 5220.22M. A recycling certificate is issued once the equipment has been assessed; this outlines all equipment that has been processed for either reuse or disposal at an authorised recycling company.
If one or two computers are being donated, Camara has drop-off locations in Chapelizod and also in Belfast city centre, serving the North. For 10 or more devices, Camara can collect them from the donor’s office for a small fee.
“We are very fortunate to have the likes of PwC, Electric Ireland, Hertz, Google, EMC, Diageo and Dell,” Fitzsimons says, listing some major suppliers. “However, we have thousands of donors who make up the totals we achieve, for which we would like to thank everyone.”
