Students are volunteering for the SustainComp project, a URV Solidària initiative, to collaborate with the Labdoo network and reduce the digital divide in education

Every year, millions of laptops that are still usable are withdrawn from circulation around the world. But if they are cleaned up, have educational software installed and are given to students who do not have a laptop, they can help reduce the digital divide in education. This is the premise of the SustainComp project, an initiative by URV Solidària in collaboration with the global social network Labdoo, which coordinates the processes and delivery of the material.

At the URV, 13 Computer Engineering undergraduate are working as volunteers on the project and are in charge of setting up the computers, while the staff of the University’s research and learning centre (CRAI) also collaborate by collecting the equipment.

Any person or entity wishing to donate computer hardware they do not use can take it to any of the URV’s CRAIs, giving prior notice so that the volunteer staff can be prepared to receive the equipment. In fact, anyone interested in taking part can sign up for the project and be a donor, help repair the equipment or deliver it to schools.

The Labdoo network coordinates all the processes and freely exchanges all information about technical issues, the material available the possibilities of delivery. The delivery programme is designed to prevent additional pollutants from being generated because it takes advantage of trips scheduled for other functions.