Companies and NPO Tie Up Used PC-Donation Program

Since fiscal 2001, "e-elder", a Japanese non-profit organization, has operated a program collect used-PCs that companies no longer need and donate them to other non-profit organizations. Note: This program is available only in Japan.

The organization is composed mainly of individuals who have experience in information technology, who combine their many years of business experience with advanced IT skills and knowledge. The organization supports volunteer and non-profit organizations and seniors groups in encouraging new activities and the computerization of their operations.

In 2001, e-elder donated 1,025 PCs to 483 organizations, including social welfare and non-profit organizations and educational institutions. While accepting requests for donations and making assessments to decide where to donate, the organization receives used PCs from companies (in 2001, 10 companies, including IBM Japan and Kirin Breweries) and asks recovery facilities to erase data, clean, and test the used computers. Besides this, e-elder helps to arrange delivery, and checks PC problems for free shortly after delivery. The beneficiaries of this program can use the PCs as soon as they receive them, with a Windows-98 operating system, Word-98 and Excel-97 software provided by Microsoft Co., free of charge.

The whole program has been well-received by everyone involved. Suppliers can find users for their old PCs, recycling facilities can get increased orders, recipients can obtain the equipment they need, and the coordinating non-profit organization can make the most of the staff's personal experience. In 2002, applications for the donation program have already been closed and e-elder expects to offer more than 2,000 reusable PCs, double the number of the previous year.



Posted: 2003/03/01 11:24:47 AM
Japanese version