Every PC, new or old, will count

Posting from Khayelitsha, the third largest township in South Africa - located outside of Cape Town, Khayelitsha is home to 1.5 million people, nearly half of which are unemployed.

I’ve been here several times in the last year and am struck each time by the serious work that is being done to improve the local residents’ standard of living and job opportunities.

In fact, the Microsoft Unlimited Potential Group has been working closely with the Mayor of Cape Town, Silulo Ulutho Technologies and Mico South Africa to address one of the key areas for the township’s social and economic development – better access to relevant, affordable and accessible technology.

On Friday, we announced our partnership to make used PCs, refurbished by Mico with genuine Microsoft Windows and Office software, available for a very low cost from Silulo.

That means high-quality refurbished PCs will be available to local Khayelitsha businesses and families starting at R2100 (that’s about $212). Silulo is also offering 2 hours of free ICT skills training and interest-free financing for residents, to help make the PCs even more accessible.

Refurbished PCs like these could translate into real, material benefits for Khayelitsha, by:

1. Empowering people with the real-world technology skills needed to get a job in an increasingly competitive market.

2. Providing local entrepreneurs with the tools they need to increase their productivity, share information, and grow their business.

3. Establishing a sustainable local market around the refurbishment and sale of used PCs that creates new jobs in the community.

We’ve got a lofty goal to meet here in the Unlimited Potential Group — to reach the next 1 billion people who are not yet realizing the benefits of technology by 2015. So every PC, new or old, will count.

- Halil Gökoglu

Business Development Manager for Personal Computing Solutions

Microsoft Unlimited Potential Group – Middle East & Africa