Our story
The challenge
In 2022 I met a 40-year-old man in a “learn to speak French” class, he was a recent Ukrainian refugee resettled in Bordeaux. Yvhen fled with his wife and three children 8, 12 and 14. A hairdresser who came to class every morning and worked in the afternoon. Yvhen’s English wasn’t great so he had to translate the English to Ukraine, on his phone, and then find the French words to follow the class.
At night he continued his studies on his mobile phone, later we learned his children were continuing their education online, from the Ukraine, on the other family mobile phone.
New country, new job, new culture, new language.
On my last day I left a brand new Apple Mac and an anonymous card saying I applauded his strength and courage. The teachers presented him with this gift, and they told me he started to cry. He said the generosity people had shown to him through his journey was probably far greater than any generosity he had extended to anyone.
In 2021 an extended family of 32 fled Afghanistan arriving in Australia with nothing. I was able to collect 20 laptops, 3 phones and an Ipad for them – I found this was unexpectedly easy.
Which made me think – why?
Every 3 to 4 years companies replace their laptops, 4 million laptops are sold in Australia annually and only 1% of old laptops are recycled and tons go to landfill.
At the same time 2,080,000 Australians (the groups most affected by the “Digital Divide”) refugees and asylum seekers, those escaping domestic violence and disadvantaged youth – cannot do what you and I do easily every day. But more importantly, our target groups cannot – connect with family in countries far away, find a refuge to provide online counseling or “immediate” emergency assistance, search and apply for a job, or help with that assignment on the diet of Polar Bears – so they can keep up with the other kids at school.
Laptops are essential to our lives, they help us flourish, learn, connect, and importantly earn.
This was a light bulb moment – a massive need that could be met through making a connection, corporate goodwill and at very little cost.
“The Laptop Initiative” was born.
Is this still a problem?
8% of Australians suffer from the “Digital Divide.”
This is the digital disconnect due to a lack of devices, and the inability to afford an internet connection.
You may remember those families, in the time of COVID-19, trying to do homeschooling with their 3 kids on one mobile phone.
Think about what you have done today on your laptop.
You’ve spoken to friends and family, maybe looked for a job, found where to go to register your car, how to register your car, updated an important skill, or laughed at a silly video.
Think of how essential these tools are to our everyday life, education, social connection, and sometimes survival.
Creating a solution
Over the last two years we have developed a very simple operation model where we ask corporates to donate their unwanted laptops and within 24 hours pass them on to our 3 target groups who are in great need.
Refugees and asylum seekers, women escaping domestic violence, and disadvantaged youth – these groups are among the most affected by the “Digital Divide”.
The Laptop Initiative was born.
How can you help on this great journey, to help fill this enormous need and truly make an important contribution to someone who is struggling?
Many charities are working with these target groups who can identify their clients who are in need and their wait list for laptops – sometimes 50, sometimes 14 sometimes 5 – this never seems to end. So, our need is to connect with forward-thinking corporate heroes who can spend a very small amount of time to identify no longer needed laptops in good working order and to wipe the machine of all corporate data.
If you are or know a CEO, Chief Technology Officer or Chief Information officer tell them about The Laptop Initiative and how they can empower those in most need. Help us get those thousands of laptops currently sitting under the desks and racks in offices.
So help spread the word. Help us make a change for the woman who has fled a violent home with nothing and who needs to rebuild her life, learn new skills, and connect to online support programs.
You can help her, just spread the word.
