Recycle A Device: Bridging the digital divide
Recycle A Device - or RAD - is an Aotearoa initiative which matches those who need a laptop with a donated and refurbished device. There are many good quality devices that are no longer needed in our communities, RAD tracks down these laptops and puts them to good use.
The team also teach high school students in-demand tech engineering skills to refurbish the laptops, and then work with community groups to get them into the hands of ākonga (students) and rangatahi (young people) who need them.
If you have a laptop which is less than ten years old and comes with a charger, please donate it to RAD. It really can make a difference to someone's life.
Get in touch with Recycle a Device to find how you can get on board (team[at]recycleadevice.nz).
With 2022 just around the corner, here at RAD we thought it was about time to update everyone on what we've achieved in 2021 and what we are looking forward to working on next year.
In 2021 RAD has:
- diverted 1.95 tonnes from e-waste from going to landfill;
- been donated 781 laptops;
- had more than 120 students from 8 schools across the motu refurbishing laptops; and
- gifted 459 laptops to someone who would have otherwise gone without - with the rest of donated devices in the process of being refurbished by students.
Read the RAD 2021 end of year report for more information [PDF].
RAD couldn't do this without generous donors and supporters including Spark and the Christchurch City Council.
RAD are looking forward to 2022 and a future of doing great things for our community and environment.