About
TLI
We are a small (a handful of dedicated volunteers) charity registered in 2024. We identified the need, found out if the idea actually worked and most importantly if companies would give us laptops.
There is, it does and they do and the rest is history.
Our
Story
In 2022, I met a 40-year-old man in a “Learn to Speak French” class. He was a Ukrainian refugee resettled in France. Yvhen had fled with his wife and three children, aged 8, 12, and 14. A hairdresser by trade, he attended class every morning and worked in the afternoon. His English was limited, so he had to translate from English to Ukrainian to French on his phone.
At night, he continued studying on his phone. Later, we learned his children were continuing their education online from Ukraine—using the family’s other phone. A new country, a new job, a new culture, and a new language—with minimal resources.
On my last day, I left a laptop for him and an anonymous card, applauding his strength and resilience. The teachers presented him with the gift, and they later told me he started to cry. He said the kindness and generosity he had received on this journey were greater than anything he had ever given to others.
In 2021, an extended family of 32 fled Afghanistan and arrived in Australia with nothing. Gathering 20 laptops, three phones, and an iPad —astonishingly, it wasn’t difficult. Why?
Every 3–4 years, companies replace their laptops. In Australia alone, 4 million laptops are sold annually, yet only 10% of old laptops are recycled – many end up in landfill. At the same time, over 2 million Australians lack access to a device or the internet.
Laptops are essential. They help us learn, work, connect, and thrive.
This was a lightbulb moment: a massive need could be met through simple connections, corporate goodwill, and minimal cost.
The Laptop Initiative was born.
Restating
The Problems
There are two key problems that we are trying to address – distributing replaced laptops that can be used by those in need and therefore reducing the amount of e-waste and tackling the digital divide.
Key Statements and Stats On Tech Waste and Digital Divide
Approximately 4 million laptops are sold in Australia every
year. Clean Up Australia says that only 10% will eventually be recycled.
The average amount of e-waste generated by every Australian. The global average of e-waste is 7kg per person so we are way way ahead – but in a bad way. The average laptop weighs 2.5 kilograms and
contains plastics and metals and the majority of components can be recycled, but even better is reuse.
The amount of e-waste generated in Australia in 2019. This means in 2019 alone, Australians sent $430 million worth of materials to landfill along with their e-waste.
The worlds generation of electronic waste is rising five times faster than documented e-waste recycling.
Billions of dollars worth of strategically – valuable resources squandered, dumped.
“Over a ¼ of Australians are digitally excluded. The digital divide is a well-documented social schism.People on the wrong side of it face difficulties when it comes to accessing, affording, or using digital services. These disadvantages significantly reduce
their quality of life.
Why The
The Laptop Initiative
Our Mission
The Laptop Initiative provides laptops to refugees and asylum seekers, disadvantaged youth and women suffering from domestic violence enabling them to obtain education, employment, connection and income.
We do this by partnering with Corporate Heroes wishing to repurpose otherwise unwanted laptops and with registered charities working with our target audiences.
“Every laptop changes a life……..anything else is just a waste.”
Our Values
These are the things that guide our decision making, attract our Corporate Heroes, Charitity Partners and our Very Important Volunteers.
Equity
Provide opportunities to those in need
Sustainability
Repurpose devices
Integrity
Honest and reputable in everything we do
Respect
TLI Charitable Status
Yes, we are a registered charity – this is important for two reasons. We proved to the ACNC (Australian Charities and Non-Profit Commission) that we have legitimate goals and will operate according to their guidelines.
This allows us to use the charity tick and if our supporters make cash donations they are able to claim a tax refund.
More big ticks!!!!
The Laptop Initiative ABN 95671869364.
Join Our Corporate Heroes
We would love for you to help us help others, change a life, share our joy.
Meet Our
Founder
It is such a simple idea.
Cheryl Sing
FOUNDER
Cheryl’s early career included working with grass roots community groups in the western suburbs of Sydney.
Cheryl’s career led her to become a corporate communications specialist working with some of the largest companies in Australia encompassing media relations, event management, cultural change, internal communications and crisis management. More recently Cheryl completed a Diploma in Teaching English as a second language where she hopes to be able to help refugees and asylum seekers as a volunteer teacher.
Cheryl’s journey to creating The Laptop Initiative was inspired by poignant encounter with a recent Ukrainian refugee seeking to settle in a new country and learn a new language. Recognising the transformative potential of technology to empower individuals she founded The Laptop Initiative. Through this organisation, Cheryl strives to provide laptops, Ipads and tablets to refugees and asylum seekers, those escaping domestic violence and disadvantaged youth.
Frequently Asked
Questions
What types of laptops are accepted for donation?
What if the laptops breakdown or are lost?
How long does it take for the Corporate Heroes to prepare the laptops and how much does it cost them?
What if we don’t have any IT personnel to undertake the wiping of the data??
We can provide instructions for the wiping of data for your staff to use.
What if we have many machines and don’t have the staff time to wipe the data?
The Laptop Initiative has a strategic partnership with an e-waste specialist Zolo, they can pick up, securely transport and wipe data and provide ISSO Certification to comply with your company policies around data security.
Zolo is located in Sydney but is able to pick up laptops from around Australia.
A small percentage of laptops will be retained by Zolo to cover transportation and wiping costs, and the balance of devices will come to The Laptop Initiative for distribution to charities. Their website: https://www.zolo.com.au/about .
How does The Laptop Initiative work?
As soon as we have a planned donation from a Corporate Hero we contact our charities to work out who needs how many and where, and whose needs are more urgent.
We try to pick up and deliver in just a few days. This way we don’t need storage or warehouses, and the laptops go quickly to those who need them.
Who can I contact for more information or to arrange a donation?
For more information or to arrange a donation, please email admin@thelaptopinitiative.com.au or fill in the donate laptops now form on this website.
Join Our Cheer Squad, donate here
What can we say – help us get laptops to those in need, support what we do and make a difference.
