Rota volunteers learned how to prepare computers to be sent across Asia

Reach Out To Asia (Rota) schools in Asia and community projects here in Qatar are to benefit from the donation of 500 computers by the College of the North Atlantic-Qatar (CNAQ) this summer.
Already the first computers have been delivered by CNAQ staff to Rota, as part of a plan to deliver 50 computers every two to three weeks throughout the summer.
“The computers will enable Asian children to have access to technology and Internet and improve their access to and quality of education. Words cannot fully express our gratitude for this remarkable gift,” said Pascal, online education manager, Rota.
To ensure Rota possesses the skills to refurbish the donated computers on a regular basis, World Computer Exchange (WCE) has trained 10 Rota volunteers in how to refurbish, repair, test and prepare computers ready for installation in schools.
A three-day training course saw Rota volunteers learn how to install an operating system, set up a network, install software, test, clean and prepare the computers ready for distribution to a Rota project.
Abid Abdul Aziz, volunteer, Rota, commented: “It was a very positive learning experience. The training being very interactive, the trainer and staff being very supportive, thus we volunteers got all the benefits. I certainly look forward to being called on to work on the refurbishing project.”
As Rota volunteers learn new skills and gain experience in refurbishing the computers, the organisation plans to implement its own volunteer computer training course in coming months to ensure the computers can be distributed to Rota projects across Asia as quickly as possible.
“The training brought together an energetic group of volunteers eager to aid the effort to bring computers to children in developing countries. I found them to be a group willing to work and learn. By the end of the workshop they were contributing ideas to improve the process of refurbishing the computers,” commented WCE trainer
Jack O’Donnell.
Dave Mugford, IT operations manager at CNAQ, said: “One of the fundamental advantages to the CNAQ donation is its environmental impact. When it comes to computers, reusing is certainly better than destroying.”