Namibia IT Project

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There is an urgent need and demand for computer literacy and training in Namibia , South West Africa .

If more training were available, more Namibians would be able to acquire the IT skills, that would allow them to get a better job.

Namibia has been independent since 1990. The Government has made great progress in the peaceful development of the country and its people. Now there is a way we can help by answering the urgent needs and demand for computer training that would enable 1000’s of people each year to acquire the IT skills in order to get better jobs.

We, in the United Kingdom , have difficulty in disposing of our redundant, but still working computers and screens. In Namibia they really could use the equipment that you have upgraded and may simply discard.

So don’t throw them away, please … donate them to us.

Individuals can gain skills required for better jobs

More IT training is needed in Namibia

 

The need and the solution …

In Namibia …the International University of Management (IUM) is a Not-for-Profit Organisation with four branches in Namibia , the main one in Windhoek . They offer full and part-time Business Management, MBA, AIDS Management, IT skills and other courses. The IT courses are currently only available at one of these sites. There is a desperate need for IT equipment at the other three branches. There is an urgent need and demand for computer literacy and training, to enable local students to develop the skills and expertise required for the modern workplace and to find jobs.

            • IUM has secure and established premises where these IT labs would be housed. There is no risk of 'loss' of the equipment.

            • IUM has an established and functioning IT department, with qualified staff, so setting up the new Labs would be no problem. They have already set one up, but desperately need more capacity.

            • IUM has the budget to buy the Educational LAN software for the servers. We are already talking to software houses and may be able to get the licences, free or at a reduced cost.

In the UK … You are just about to upgrade your computer system to a faster, better, bigger one. How can you dispose of the old equipment that is probably worth very little in the UK market? We will not only collect your donation (within 50 miles of Sandy ), but we also promise to wipe the hard drives of all donated machines.

We have overcome the three main problems associated with this type of scheme:

* Your Security we will wipe the hard drives of all donated machines. * Transport… in the past it was just too expensive to get the equipment there. We have a sponsor who will provide the transport to our destination. * Security and continued use at the destination can make this type of aid very short lived. However, in our case the computers will go to a not-for-profit organisation that not only has both the proven expertise to set up and run the IT training, but has also agreed to provide both the teaching staff and premises. This will ensure that your redundant computer equipment will play an important part in training thousands of students in Namibia for years to come.

Location & Administration …

One of the problems with donated equipment in most African countries is that the recipients ‘lose’ the hardware within a year or two … and the project then stops. The other usual problem is staffing and premises … these normally require on-going funding from the original sponsors.

In this case, we are working with an established, multi-branch education provider, who has both the secure premises and the qualified staff to make our one-time donation a long term project and an on-going benefit forNamibia and Namibians.

Dr David Namwandi, a born and bred Namibian, is the Vice Chancellor of IUM and is our direct contact. William Crofate is the Head of IT Faculty at IUM and he will personally oversee and organise the installation, loading and testing of all the new IT labs on IUM premises.

The Equipment needed…

We need your redundant, but working IT equipment.

By European standards the minimum specifications are very modest:

The existing IT lab in the Namibian capital of Windhoek will be upgraded and expanded. The other IUM campuses are near The Skeleton Coast , at Walvis Bay and also at Swakopmund, and in the North (near to the National Park at Etosha) at Tsumebwill all have new IT training labs installed for the first time.

IUM will run full and part time IT and Computer Literacy courses at all of its centres. IUM is not a ‘charity’ but it is a registered ‘not for gain’ company in Namibia . It is a non-profit making organisation.

This project and the IUM has the full support of the Namibian Government.

If you are about to upgrade your IT equipment, please contact us. Your donated equipment will be collected from your premises, by arrangement (within 50 miles of Sandy, Beds.) but for 10+ units we will go further!!!

After wiping the Hard Drives, we will box and store them, until a shipment of 40-60 units is ready to go.

These will be sent direct to IUM in Namibia .

It would be very kind of all donors if mains and connecting cables as well as all available driver, resource and installation disks, plus any printed manuals, could be bundled with their units.

PCs, Screens, Keyboards and Mouse: We need 150—200 units with at least P2 Intel or other similar chip set, 128MB of RAM, 10GB of Hard Disk, 15” screen for the PCs.

Laptops are also welcome.

Servers: We would like to send at least four, with 60GB of Hard Drive, or better.

Printers & Scanners: preferably network capable or PC attached…and always with Driver CDs, please.

How can you help ? …

We believe that this project is a viable one and that your redundant, but working, IT equipment will make a real difference to thousands of Namibian people, as these will all be put to good use.

Thank you very much for your support!

Thank you…

We need your old computers !

1. Tape or tag a large envelope to each machine, with brief specs written on the outside.

2. Tell is if the Hard Drive is clean or if it needs ‘wiping’. Please write down any passwords on the tag.

3. Enclose as much support material as you can find: Recovery, Re-boot or Driver disks, plus any relevant printed manuals and passwords.

4. For Printers and Scanners, driver disks would be really appreciated. Also if you have redundant spare cartridges, drums etc, please send these also.

5. Cables and connecting wires, mains leads, keyboard and mouse should be bundled, marked and taped to the unit.

Contact us when you are ready to arrange collection, or you can deliver your redundant equipment to us during normal office hours at Fraser Muir Group, Beeston Grange, Beeston Green, near Sandy , Beds. We are only 100 metres off the A1, just south of the Sandy (Holiday Inn) roundabout.

Project Management … in order that we can best handle the equipment, both in the UK and in Namibia , would you please follow these guide lines:

If you are a Service Organisation or a Company, we would really appreciate your help in using your local contacts to spread the word and support the Namibia IT Project.

Please nominate a contact person for us to speak to and arrange collection. Please send us an e-mail, or phone or fax, with your contact details and tell us how many units may be available and when. In any case, please let us know that you will be supporting this project.

Individual donations are also welcome.

Please contact us if you can help or would like more details.

Contact: Julian Shuba or Christine Fox

c/o Fraser Muir Group, Beeston Grange, Sandy , Beds. SG19 1PG, United Kingdom .

Contact: Julian Shuba or Christine Fox

E-mail: chris@frasermuir.com

Telephone: +44 (0)1767 68 22 88

Fax: +44 (0)1767 68 22 66

If you are a Service Organisation or a Company, please nominate one of your Members/Staff to be the local collector/liaison.

Individual donations of redundant, but working equipment is also welcome.

Minimum specification: P2+, 128MB RAM, 10GB HD, 15" Screen… or higher.