[Hidden-tech] Mac laptop donation for Zambia - Last call...

[Deborah Chandler]

Bravo, Will. I am heartened hearing about all your good work on such a project.

While I don't have a computer to donate (unless you want my Mac G4
with all my old design software and related Zip disks...) I also
wanted to share my related story: I just sent some old iPhones and
other goods to Kenya for a Congolese friend to use and share, and
handed it off to some friends traveling to Kenya this week who are
team members of Uzima Outreach in the Nairobi slums. They carried the
items in their luggage. My friend is so grateful, and it feels good to
be able to do this, and to know it is a great help even to one or two
Africans.

I can't help but take note of the irony: the coltan, the precious
mineral used in our cellphones and laptops, is mined primarily in the
Congo, and with slave labor, and is at the center of a lot of the
conflict, rapes, torture and death there, and here I am sending
iPhones BACK to a Congolese man who has applied for refugee status to
escape his country because of all the violence and political
corruption. He is obviously aware of the irony, but until we have a
company providing truly fairtrade coltan for our technological goods,
we need to do our best to pressure the existing companies to change
their trade regulations. Knowing that the US is close allies with
Rwanda, responsible for a lot of the violence, this will take a
while...)

Here's to a safe, enjoyable and fulfilling journey to Zambia. I look
forward to hearing more about it.

Best,
Deb

On Fri, Oct 28, 2016 at 2:54 PM, William M Loving <wmloving at gmail.com> wrote:
> Dear friends,
>
> In years past I have facilitated the transfer of approximately 3000 computers (8 cargo containers) to Zambia for distribution to schools and NGOs. I will be traveling to Zambia in December to visit the director of New Vision for Africa, the NGO that has handled the fundraising, processing and distribution.
>
> I would like to help the local New Vision for Africa staff with an upgrade to their existing, heavily traveled and ailing MacBooks. Because I’m not flying directly to Zambia and need to travel light, I’m hoping to find a couple of working MacBook Airs (any generation) that we can hand carry to them. MacBook Pros would also be fine. An iPad (any generation) would also be welcome. While there, I will be visiting a couple of the sites that the computers were distributed to for student and staff use (see  http://newvisionforafrica.org/nvfa_slideshow.html for a slideshow of some of the first computers being processed and used).
>
> New Vision for Africa, is government registered Charitable Organization and also has a 501(c)(3) corporation in the US. They have received past support from UNICEF and Ernst & Young amongst others for their projects. They also do a number of other projects including supporting small entrepreneurs, a group of honey farmers, and are currently working on starting a micro-loan program. We can provide you a Tax Receipt for your donation and send you pictures of your old gear being put to use in Zambia.
>
> Our departure date is Dec 3, now just five weeks away. If you’re planning to upgrade between now and then, perhaps to one of the new MacBooks, this could be a worthy and worthwhile way to pass your old computer along. Please email me directly if you have any questions.
>
> Will
>
> Will Loving, President
> Dedication Technologies, Inc.
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