Bridging the Digital Divide: Computer Aid International urges Cameroonians to embrace ICT’s

By Christopher Ambe 

Computer Aid International, the London-based world’s largest non-for-profit supplier of quality professionally refurnished computers, has called on Cameroonians to take advantage of its existence and make Information Communication Technologies (ICT’s) part and parcel of them.

Martha Gatheru (3rd from left front row) in family photo with participants in Buea

Martha Gatheru, Computer Aid International’s Program Officer for Central Africa and Nigeria, who made the call last November 6 at PCC Synod Office hall in Buea, stressed on the importance of ICT’s in facilitating education ,acquiring information and enhancing development.

 She said that Computer Aid ,which supplies computers to not-for-profit and educational institutions, has ,over the past 15 years ,provided over 200,000PC’s and monitors to over 100 countries.

    Gatheru was addressing representatives of some Cameroonian academic institutions and NGO’s who had turned-up to learn about Computer Aid and the procedures to get refurbished computers.

“Computer Aid International would like everybody to have ICT’s at their fingertips, so that you don’t have to travel long distances to get information”, she told participants at the sensitization meeting.

    She said: “Computer Aid was founded in 1998 by professionals whose experience in the field of international development had made them acutely aware of the enormous unmet demand for affordable computer systems in schools and colleges; health centres and community organizations through out the world”    Gatheru said Computer Aid has as vision ‘A world where rich and poor have equal access to ICT’ and as mission ‘To reduce poverty through practical ICT’.     According to her, the principles and values of Computer Aid include: to empower poor and disadvantaged communities, to focus on long-term sustainable development in the poorest countries of the world, to work in partnership with other organizations and to provide affordable and environmentally sustainable ICT solutions.

     Gatheru disclosed that the ICT Center of Presbyterian Church in Cameroon (PCC) Synod Office is a Computer Aid’s privileged channel partner, where Cameroonians interested in owning quality refurbished computers can go. She added Computer Aid (www.computeraid.org)could also be contacted directly by any organization needing refurbished computers.

    Gatheru, who was not in Cameroon for the first time, disclosed that Computer Aid has provided already more that 10,000 computers to Cameroon.

 After the delivery of computers to customers, it emerged, the London-based computer supplier follows-up to ensure that the computers are used for the intended purpose.

   For his part, Mofor Emmanuel, Manager of the PCC ICT Center reiterated that Computer Aid targets only not-for-profit organizations and individuals and invited Cameroonians to approach the PCC ICT Center where they could buy a good laptop for just 107,000FCFA and a desktop (flat screen) just for 87,000Fcfa. He said for the past two years Cameroonians have been benefiting form Computer Aid through the PCC ICT Center in Buea.

  After Gatheru’s power point presentation, followed a question-and answer session, during which she cleared the doubts of some participants about the activities of Computer Aid.