[UgaBYTES] E-waste management at GK3- Computer recycling ofrefurbished PCs

[MAIGA Aminata]

Dear Friends,

 

The debate is very interesting and Thanks to all contributors. Joseph I
agree with you that in our African countries it is very difficult to refuse
a donation. I work many years as Manager of Computer and Communication
systems for International NGO and I learned to refurbish dead computers as
Joseph called them All the broken computers or printers cannot have the same
piece broken so it is possible for example to reassemble a “new PC” from 2
or 3 dead ones by taking the heard drive from one, the power supply and
memory chips from another and put on the third computer mother board
assuming that they are compatible. In Afriklinks we use to replace pieces
for some telecenters’ computers and most of the CLIC managers received this
capacity building and can do basic first level maintenance of their
equipment.

 

For Africans countries the solution will be capacity building, capacity
building and again capacity building. 

 

Now, if we come to a situation where we really cannot get anything from
these computers and monitors even after transforming CRT monitor to TV, then
as Kiringai said, we all can act together and define the solution for
development by those who can.

 

Best regards,

Aminata MAIGA

Manager Networking program

Afriklinks, 

Mali

 

 

 

  _____  

De : ugabytes-bounces at lists.ugabytes.org
[mailto:ugabytes-bounces at lists.ugabytes.org] De la part de
fadeco at satconet.net
Envoyé : lundi 17 décembre 2007 05:21
À : ugabytes at lists.ugabytes.org
Objet : Re: [UgaBYTES] E-waste management at GK3- Computer recycling
ofrefurbished PCs

 

Dear Friends,

 

I am coming late for this discussion that has been initiated by Jose and
Kiringai is given his input. It is a healthy discussion. It is upsetting as
Jose put it- where do you put all these "E-Waste". Working from my poor
environment (economic poverty living on less than 1 US $ a day), any
donation is something and cannotbe disputed. How many people here for
example in my country can afford an own computer? And where a donation comes
in, what should one do. 

 

E-Waste management can be a big problem indeed as one wonders what to with
lots and lots of CRT monitors lying watse here and there, etc. I have a
feeling that, in Africa we need to develop technical skills to handle such a
situation. I understand that in my local community, majority of us in the
low income spectrum have never known a new fabric (short or trousers) and
have depended on second hand clothing from the open markets. But I wish to
inform you that, we have expert tailors whose major work is to fix patches
on torm or worn out trousers. So you find that a trouser is eventually made
up of many patches of different colours, quality, etc.. and yet serving the
purpose of "covering the bones) of the wearer.

 

Back to E-Waste, I have personally experiemneted with thin client networks
as one way to recycle what we may term "dead computers". Literally these
would be computers that have their hard disks dead (and irrepairable). With
thin clients managed by a dedicated server, one could put to use these "dead
computers". The CPU in this case would work well as work stations although
it would not be possible to save on them since theyhave no hard drives. 

 

The problem comes to CRT monitors which as Jose says contain a lot of lead
which is dangerous. A friend of mine told me that he could turn an
ordinaryCRT monitor to work as TV screen. That would be interesting. But
again, this means we need to develop capacities to manage such technical
aspects- instead of ending up as users only.

 

Joseph Sekiku

Manager
FADECO TELECENTRE
P. O. Box 223
Karagwe- Kagera region
Tanzania
Tel/Fax: +255 28 2223024 (office)
Tel: +255 28 2223033 (FADECO RADIO- STUDIO)
Cell: +255 754 605682

 

Skype ID: jsekiku
Yahoo ID: sekiku2002

 

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