A short summary of your project

Help us bridge the digital divide by donating to our project!

£20,000 will ensure that we can provide a minimum of 300 computers to children and vulnerable residents in London.

Who are you?

We are three technology teachers who wanted to help during the COVID-19 crisis and have set up an Emergency Refurbishment Hub at Mildmay Community Center.

Your story

What we do is really simple!

Companies and individuals give us any unwanted laptop or desktop. We then securely erase all data, refurbish the computer and make sure it is fit for purpose. We install an Operating System, a sweet welcome video and we disinfect the device so it is ready to be delivered!

We donate directly to schools and charities so we do not need to hold any confidential data. We trust them!

The computer is also saved from ending in a landfill and reused by someone who needs it.

We only have one condition:

The computer needs to be given to the final user (the child or the vulnerable person). The computer cannot be loaned or rented.

We want to make a change for life!

Where will the money go?

Although a number of computers are being donated, we have some expenses:

Most of the computers that we receive are good, but you can tell they have not seen much love recently. We need the funds to buy parts, to fix them or upgrade them and then there is also the cost of our labor.

On average it costs £20 to refurbish a donated computer, but the demand is so big that we sometimes need to buy.

This is particularly true within vulnerable groups, like immigrant families or victims of domestic violence, that might be living on temporary accommodation.

They need laptops, so when we do not have enough in stock, we buy from very well intended companies that are giving us really great prices.

Currently £60 will buy a computer for us to refurbish. 

We want to provide as many computers as we can. The need is huge and most schools are needing between 30 to 50 devices. 

And this is only getting worse: The government and local councils have run a number of schemes, but those are now coming to an end and the loaned computers need to be given back by mid July. 

£10,000 will ensure that we can provide a minimum of 150 devices, likely a lot more, depending on donations. You can see the progress on our webiste: https://mer-it.org

What would we do if we get more than £10,000?

:-) We will smile! And with that smile on our faces, we will continue providing until we have spent every last penny to ensure kids and vulnerable residents do not feel left behind during this crisis!

Rewards

If you are worried about the digital divide, you are likely to enjoy a technical reward

• £80 (one computer) will get you a "technical heart" on our map and a badge. 
• £400 (5 computers) will get you a heart in our map and a portable projector, so you can show it to your friends on a large screen :)
• £800 (10 computers) will get you

Find us here

https://mer-it.org

Twitter: @meritorg You are encouraged to follow us :-)

Help us succeed!

• You don't need to give money to help us succeed! Please share this project with anyone you think would support us – on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, by email, telephone, in a chat over the fence or on your blog.
• In fact, share it with everyone you know as we think it's a great idea, and the more people who know about it, the more likely we are to make this work out brilliantly.
• And we know we said you don't need to give money to help us, but we'd love it if you did! Please sponsor us and help make this happen.

PUT A HEART ON OUR MAP!