UNESCO and PC Refurbishment

UNESCO is supporting:

* A Portal on PC Refurbishment

* On-line (and CD-ROM) training on computer refurbishment, which is part of the ItrainOnline Multimedia Training Kit

* The French version of SchoolNet Africa’s Technical Service Centre Managers course

* Production of an open source “plug and play” software of the FAIR computer recycling suite

* The online Used computers section of the UNESCO Office in Bangkok

More than one billion PCs have been sold. In many cases, users upgrade their PCs, and are willing to donate usable devices or sell them at very low prices. PC refurbishing initiatives are active in many (most?) countries, covering the whole range of tasks from mobilizing donors of second-hand PCs to procurement, refurbishment, transportation, distribution, installation, maintenance and training on the use of refurbished PCs. Indeed, Americans for UNESCO is using very effectively a suite of donated information technology in its offices.