Computers for orphanages

Article published on April 18 2012

Peter Rolfe's project at the Rotary Club of New Dawn in Johannesburg started with a simple idea: lots of people have old computers lying around that still work, or could work with a bit of care. As the youngest member of Rotary New Dawn, Peter had used his abundant energy to help the community. Through Rotary clubs around Johannesburg, members donated their unused desktops and laptops instead of throwing them away. Peter collected the machines, took them home, and got to work fixing the old computers.

He opened the computers, cleaned out years of dust, replaced dead hard drives or faulty power supplies, and salvaged parts from broken machines to fix others. Once the hardware was solid, he installed Ubuntu, a free and reliable operating system that runs well on older computers and doesn’t need expensive licences. He also loaded basic software for writing, research, and learning.

The refurbished computers were then donated to orphanages across Johannesburg. For the children, this made a real difference. For many this was the first time that they had the chance to learn how to use a keyboard and mouse, and gain basic computer skills that are essential for high school, college, and work. They could look up information for projects, practise maths and reading using educational programs, and even explore creative interests like drawing or simple coding. For many, it was the seed that would grow the child's confidence with IT and flourish into meaningful skills.

The project also helped staff, but the biggest impact was on the children’s confidence and curiosity. By turning unwanted computers into learning tools, Peter helped open doors that many of them had never had access to before. By 2012 New Dawn had donated 28 computers to orphanages, mostly in Berea and Hillbrow, and the project is still going strong!

Many thanks to the generosity of members of Rotary and Peter Rolfe for coordinating this project.