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CS Shipping Containers are supplying Computers 4 Africa with shipping containers that can be converted into classrooms equipped with computers to give IT skills to people in Africa.
Sharon Roberts from Computers 4 Africa said: "We are delighted to have this opportunity to be working with CS Shipping Containers."
A major fund-raising campaign has seen over 18 shipping containers being delivered in the last fortnight to the Computers 4 Africa bases in Sheffield and Scotland where they will be converted into classrooms. The second hand shipping containers are a mixture of 20ft and 40ft sizes and will have desks fitted with donated computers, laptops and IT equipment.
The corten steel construction of a shipping container means that they are ideal for classrooms as they are strong and secure as well as weatherproof – and, of course, shipping containers can be cheaply shipped and easily transported on by road.
Europe has one of the highest ratio of computers to people in the world and over 93% of UK businesses and nearly all households use pc's or laptops – as opposed to places such as Tanzania where only 6% of the population have access to computers. With the need for constant updating many computers become redundant each year. Computers 4 Africa recycle and send out computers that are no longer needed in Europe and use them to teach IT skills enabling them to get jobs at several times more than the local average pay.
As the fund-raising drive continues Computers 4 Africa will fit out more shipping containers as classrooms in the various regional centres and send them over where they are needed in Africa.
Anyone can help by either the donation of an unwanted PC or IT equipment, Computers 4 Africa will data-wipe and clean them up and send them to Africa where they will transform lives.
They ask that the computers are working and less than five years old as they need to have a useful service life once they reach their destination. Check out the website for more information – including details of sponsorship packages – and in particular 'Classroom in a Container' at www.computers4africa.org.uk or Tel: 0845 200 8510.
