VAR NCI urges channel to donate IT kit for Phillipines cause

Reseller has already kitted out two Philippines schools with IT suites

Education VAR NCI Technologies is on the hunt for unwanted IT kit to send to schools in the Philippines which were devastated by last year's Typhoon Haiyan.

Last November, more than 6,000 people died and 3.9 million residents were forced from their homes after the storm hit.

Earlier this year, Cornwall-based reseller NCI Technologies teamed up with local disaster-relief charity Byond to take IT equipment to the country to kit out two primary schools. The firm sent 34 computers for the schools as well as mice, keyboards and a server each.

After returning from the trip, NCI's managing director Andy Trish is continuing his search for equipment to send over. He said seeing first-hand the impact the technology has had strengthened his resolve to help.

"It certainly opened my eyes," he said. "We went to visit a number of schools while we were out there and each time we asked the head teachers ‘what do you want? What is at the top of your list?' and – not forgetting children out there are not being fed; they don't have fresh water; they don't have any books because they were soaked or wiped out by the typhoon – the number-one thing on their list is computers.

"The reason is because their parents may work on a farm or in fishing and on the farm they can earn between £1.20 and £1.50 a day. So if the children can learn computing, that can change the lives of the whole family because when the children leave school they can get a job in an office."

Trish urged any supplier left with kit from a school or business to get in touch to donate it to the Philippines schools.

He said NCI will ensure the equipment is securely wiped before the kit is sent away and Byond will fund the shipping and customs costs.

"All we need is PCs that work," he said.