Electricity-free charity -- ideas for giving

Chris Berg donates to a village, but it does not have electricity

I am a small, private donor to a developing world charity helping a village with no electricity. So far I have been able to give them a clockwork radio and torch. Are there any cheap computers designed for this market? Chris Berg

The most widely publicised device is the MIT-inspired XO-1 laptop, which has been developed under the One Laptop Per Child (OLPC) project. You can donate a laptop for $200, but you can't direct it to a particular village (laptopgiving.org). Alternatively, have a look at UK-based Aleutia. This company has developed the low-power E2 Mini Computer (£199), which can be powered by a foldable solar panel, and is suitable for use in Africa. The project started after Mike Rosenberg, the founder, set up a cybercafe in Takoradi, Ghana, to work with street children. The site's wiki says: "We package the E2 with low-power LCDs, folding solar panels, and rugged batteries to form a 3kg, $900 kit that can be dispatched anywhere and set up in minutes, and is used by aid workers in the field." (wiki.aleutia.com).

The Ethical Superstore may suggest some cheaper non-computer ideas.

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