[imc-tech-solidarity] Refurbished computing equipment to the southern hemisphere

[George Salzman]

Friday, April 25, 2003

Friends,

      I came on the item below at:
http://docs.indymedia.org/view/Global/SendingComputers
and I'm interested to know whether there's a way to make a tax-exempt
contribution.
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Proposal
The single most consistent request from indymedia activists in the
global south is for computers and media making equipment. Even though
the internet and computers are reshaping the world they are only doing
it for those who have access to the equipment. For the past two and a
half years indymedia has prided itself as a network which takes the
tools of media and communications and puts them in the hands of people
working for social change. For this mission to become a reality we need
equipment. Computers play a central role in all media making and
communication today. At the same time thousands good working computers
are thrown out because they are a year or two out of date. This project
thinks big and is attempting to not only solve the needs of a single
organization but to build capacity across the breadth of the movement
for a just society.

By working with the Alameda County Computer Recycling Center (accrc.org)
we have found a free source of recycled computers. ACCRC takes used
computers from silicon valley and refurbishes them for non-profits, the
poor, and educational institutions around the world. We are organizing
our own labor to test the incoming boxes and put together the parts into
useable systems with a Spanish language version of Linux installed. From
there the ACCRC will load them up on to pallets and in to the container
for shipping. Once the container arrives our south american partner
organizations will work with a customs import agent to get the boxes
through customs. Once the boxes arrive we will be able to supply
computers to a bredth of the media activist and social movement
community. To avoid the mistakes of past projects shipping computers we
are working on putting together short workshops introducing the people
and organizations receiving computers on basic use.

Provisional Budget:
Computers, monitors, printers, etc...  $0 (paper value $100,000)
Shipping Container from Oakland to South America  $2500 for 20 foot
container
 $2800 for 40 foot container
Shipping in country and Customs  $3000 (guess)
Trainings and training material  $500
Shipping and storage within the US $1000
Total cost:  $7000 to $6300
For more information and to talk to us about this project please email
imc-tech-solidarity@indymedia.org. Right now we need project funding
more than anything else.
-----------------------------------------------
      Also, I wondered whether you're in touch with the TecsChange folks
in the Boston area, who have a lot of experience along the same lines,
and are doing similar work.

All the best,
George
==================================================
george.salzman@umb.edu
http://site.www.umb.edu/faculty/salzman_g/

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