Frequently Asked Questions

The Laptop Initiative is a registered charitable organisation dedicated to addressing the digital divide in Australia by collecting and distributing donated laptops to women affected by domestic violence, disadvantaged youth, and refugee/asylum seekers.

Laptops must be no more than 4 years old, in good condition, sanitised, have webcam, charger and have a new hard disc installed or be wiped of all data and have a windows operating system.

The charity and then the recipients become the owners of the laptop.

We don’t repair or replace laptops once they are gifted. The laptops are no more than 4 years old, some even less, so they should be in good working order. The laptops are the responsibility of the charity or their clients.

Your company can participate by donating surplus laptops that are no longer in use. These laptops will to empower individuals and communities in need.

The feedback that we have is that it takes about an hour for each laptop to be prepared and it costs up to $50 to replace the hard drive.

As soon as we have a pickup date 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 the same day. We do this by asking the corporates to place each laptop with charger and mouse (if they have one) in in our branded “The Laptop Initiative Bags”.

This way we don’t need storage and the laptops go quickly to those who need them.

We know that companies replace their laptops every 3-4 years and some don’t have a strategy for what to do with the unwanted laptops and often they end up in land fill or on shelves in offices unused. At the same time more than 2 million Australians suffer from the “Digital Divide”.

Participating in The Laptop Initiative demonstrates your company’s commitment to social responsibility, environmental sustainability, and community engagement. It enhances your corporate reputation and boosts employee morale. 

Laptops are essential to our lives, they help us flourish, learn, connect and importantly earn. Your company can help women suffering from domestic violence, disadvantaged youth and refugees and asylum seekers.

For more information or to arrange a donation, please contact Cheryl Sing at cherylsing@thelaptopinitiative.com.au or mobile 0414375903 or visit our website thelaptopinitiative.com.au. We’re happy to assist you and answer any additional questions you may have.