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There is an organisation in Australia called Computer Bank that has been collecting and re-purposing computers for years. There are a number of international organisations that do similar things, some are listed here - http://www.computerbank.org.au/links.

You could also seek sponsorship from a hardware vendor such as Dell - http://www.dell.com/Learn/us/en/aucorp1/corp-comm/corporate-sponsorships, or even Google.

Since it needs to be shipped there, perhaps approach transport companies. Also, some technology recycling companies will supply equipment cheaply or free for the right cause.

Some organisations require that a not-for-profit organisation be established before funds are allocated. You'll have to check your local laws.

:)

We still use Debian and run 'work for the dole' projects. We can also help people looking to do community work.

See http://vic.computerbank.org.au/

The goal of the project was to provide cheap (free) hardware and software to underprivledged people in Australia. We used Debian for single installs, and the KDE wm.

It was a fantastic experience - I learnt all about the insides of computers and how to put them together, com ports, (seemingly) thousands of types of cards (video, audio, nics) and how to configure them, etc etc - all common knowledge ot people here, but you need to start somewhere...

We started a project to give thin clients away to poorer groups (libraries/community groups/refugee action collectives or whatever) which we built from the ground up using common knowledge and the wonderful xserver. I think they have since expanded the project, but now use Mandrake/driva.

A lot of the forced vollies didn't want to be there, but for those of us that did, it was great - I spent my first month testing printers, mice, speakers and doing the last check on systems going out the door...

There are plenty of these things around, and it sure beat weeding public gardens....

The goal of the project was to provide cheap (free) hardware and software to underprivledged people in Australia. We used Debian for single installs, and the KDE wm.

It was a fantastic experience - I learnt all about the insides of computers and how to put them together, com ports, (seemingly) thousands of types of cards (video, audio, nics) and how to configure them, etc etc - all common knowledge ot people here, but you need to start somewhere...

We started a project to give thin clients away to poorer groups (libraries/community groups/refugee action collectives or whatever) which we built from the ground up using common knowledge and the wonderful xserver. I think they have since expanded the project, but now use Mandrake/driva.

A lot of the forced vollies didn't want to be there, but for those of us that did, it was great - I spent my first month testing printers, mice, speakers and doing the last check on systems going out the door...

There are plenty of these things around, and it sure beat weeding public gardens....

Linux Thin Clients@Footscrary Public Library, courtesy of the Computerbank Victoria crew, who I used to run with...

The great mob of volunteers down at Computerbank (a charitable organisation that refurbishes used PCs to run linux and be donated to community groups & individuals) have implemented a thin client system running linux at the Footscray Library in Melbourne, Australia.

Done for virtually no money- and plenty of the users prefer the interface to the more complicated windows systems running along side it!

Read their white paper and (if in Melbourne) go down to the Footscray Library (56 Paisley St, Footscray) and check it out!

The great mob of volunteers down at Computerbank (a charitable organisation that refurbishes used PCs to run linux and be donated to community groups & individuals) have implemented a thin client system running linux at the Footscray Library in Melbourne, Australia.

Done for virtually no money- and plenty of the users prefer the interface to the more complicated windows systems running along side it!

Read their white paper and (if in Melbourne) go down to the Footscray Library (56 Paisley St, Footscray) and check it out!

An organisation named ComputerBank has set up a thin client network of linux computers running Mozilla Firefox, Openoffice, etc etc alongside an existing network of Windows PCs at the Footscray Library.

It's still on trial at the moment - but from all accounts has been enormously successful - with all linux PCs constantly being used - often in preference to the more complicated windows PCs.

A quick check with Google suggests that Windows support for Farsi has been around at least since Word 6 and Win 3.1. Computerbank Victoria suggests as minimum specs for donation a Pentium class system, with 32 MB RAM and a 1 GB HDD. Windows 98 is much less demanding.

Australia has an excellent network of hardware recyclers. Computerbank Australia Inc is a non-profit that receives donated computers and builds decent systems out of the peripherals and components, installs linux and gives the computers away to those who can not usually afford them.

I am involved with Computerbank in South Australia and we are always looking for hardware. We pick it up in the metro area for free and wipe any drives using dban.

Another worthy organisation along the same lines as mentioned in the article is ComputerBank Australia.
They take old hardware, repair/refurbish it, install Debian on it and distribute it to the needy. A better description is availble on their website (linked above).

check out Computerbank

In the UK, VOIS might be one to investigate, or FHIT, or Oneworld, or even VSO. The Information Works build database solutions for non-profit groups. There is also an Oxford based charity 'dedicated to strengthening the capacity of not-for-profit organisations in the third world through the use of information and communication technologies'.

Thse guys pioneered a 'circuit riders' concept in the US. The Technology Project in the US is 'dedicated to accelerating social and political progress by building technological capacity for community collaboration and citizen engagement'. For current news about technology and non-profits, see here.

There are several organisations working in 'developing' countries, such as this one working to 'accelerate socio-economic development and education through the use of emerging technologies in Ghana and throughout the African continent'.

In Australia, the Computerbank project works in redistributing computer equipment and providing training.

Many charity recruitment pages also list vacancies for IT professionals.

I have a big bunch of more academic links on ICT and non-profit management if anyone's interested.

-Rob

This is an Australian Initiative to get 2nd hand PC's to persons otherwise unable to afford a computer. The systems are being set up with Linux. check out http://www.computerbank.org.au regards David Buddrige

That link is broken... It needs an .au on the end: http://www.computerbank.org.au
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