The Softcat News Team
A shipping container with more than 350 refurbished computers is being transported to north-east Africa by Softcat and Greensafe.
The refurbished equipment will be received by Lyra in Africa and distributed to 10 secondary schools in rural Tanzania. This will provide more than 6,000 students and 300 teachers access to digital tools and online resources, and for many it will be the first time in their lives. The container is set to arrive in Dar es Salaam in early September.
Maria Spink, Founder of Lyra in Africa, said: “Technology is no longer a luxury - it’s a lifeline for many of our young students in Tanzania. We are privileged to work with organisations who believe, like us, that every youth deserves access to opportunity, regardless of where he or she is born. We cannot thank our partners enough for the strong dedication, commitment and passion that have gone into making this container a reality. The legacy of the container equipment will reverberate and grow as new teachers and students pass through the computer labs for years to come.”
All the equipment in the container has been donated by Softcat, our IT services and recycling partner Greensafe and some of our customers. All these items were securely refurbished and packaged by Greensafe ready for shipment. Although the majority of the donated equipment has been sent to Lyra, some was sold to other organisations to fund specific technology needed by the schools. The refurbished equipment includes monitors, power cables, access points, switches, printers, keyboards, mice, headsets, projectors, projector screens and interactive whiteboards.
Ashleigh Baker, Cyber Architecture Services Team Lead and one of Softcat's Love2Give Network Leads, said: "The work that Lyra is doing to provide safe, quality education for girls in rural Tanzania is nothing short of transformative, and Softcat is proud to be part of that journey. Thanks to the generous support of Greensafe, we’ve been able to donate vital equipment that will help unlock access to technical education—opening doors that were previously closed to these students.
“We’ve already seen the incredible impact of the Softcat and Partners Hostel in Tanzania, and the Greensafe-sponsored Computer Lab. Now, as the next shipment makes its way across the ocean, I’m genuinely excited to see what’s next. I’ll be tracking the container’s journey across the ocean with anticipation, knowing it carries the tools for even greater progress. Lyra’s work is changing lives, and we’re honoured to play a part in that story."
Mark Aldington, Compliance Director at Greensafe, echoed Maria and Ashleigh’s sentiments: “I'm incredibly proud of the teams from both Greensafe and Softcat, for the hard work and dedication that’s gone into organising this project to support Lyra in Africa, and the EdTech programme in rural Tanzania. We believe in the power of education to equip the younger generation with the tools required to promote change, gender equality and access to learning. With innovative green technology, the sharing of sustainability values and low-carbon solutions through the utilisation of refurbished IT, this is a powerful project with a long-term, positive impact that we’re all looking forward to seeing.”
Lyra in Africa is one of Softcat’s chosen charities. The charity is dedicated to empowering young people, particularly girls, to combat poverty and foster lasting change within rural communities. Softcat has supported its initiatives over a three-year partnership by building a new hostel for girls at one of its secondary schools, delivering two containers of refurbished IT equipment in collaboration with Greensafe, helping to build a new donation platform, developing the Finnish area of Lyra’s website and through financial donations.
Looking ahead, Softcat and Greensafe will continue to support Lyra with a tech-inclusive education programme. This training programme will empower local teachers in Tanzania with digital skills that will benefit both themselves and their students.