Here are 4 random things you could do today to celebrate February 29th 2016!

1. Random acts of kindness: do something for someone else, it doesn't have to cost the earth, it doesn't have to take hours, sometimes the simplest of things can make someone's day! 
2. Try something new: ditch the mundane sandwich, try something you wouldn't usually have for lunch. Make something for dinner that you've never had before, how can you know you don't like it until you try it? 
3. Switch off: Turn off your phone, close down your laptop (obviously only once you've read this fantastic blog post). Take an hour or two to remember how to live without being glued to social media! Now, what did we do with our time before technology took over....
4. Help a charity: Look into what local charities are in your area and what they are doing to change lives. There are hundreds upon hundreds of amazing causes out there! You might have something you can offer them. This could be: a donation of tools, equipment or supplies, a monetary donation to support the work they do, or maybe you could give time - perhaps you could help out once a week, once a month, you might just have the skills they need! 

Have a great leap day however you decide to spend it! ​

Before we can send any computers to schools in Africa, we need to get enough kit in through our Cheltenham doors! Louise Mee plays an incredibly important part of getting those equipment donations in...​

Q- Hi Louise, could you tell us what your role at IT Schools Africa is and how long you have been part of the team?

Louise- Hi, I'm the Computer Donations Coordinator and I have been with ITSA since September 2015. 


Q- What would you say is the best thing about working for IT Schools Africa?

Louise- I would say it is getting to work with a really committed group of people who all want to make a difference to the lives of individuals here in the UK and to close the digital divide through IT education in Africa. 


Q- Have you ever worked for a charity or a similar cause before? 

Louise- This is my first paid work in the charitable sector, but I have done a lot of charity events organising and fundraising voluntarily prior to this.


Q- What is the most challenging aspect of your role at ITSA?

Louise- Convincing companies that we offer a genuinely secure and reliable alternative to commercial recyclers. Unfortunately there are some bogus operations out there which makes people cautious.


Q- Have there been any stand out moments or memories over your time with ITSA so far? 

Louise- Seeing our biggest shipping container ever pulling away from our warehouse heading to Zambia. 

You'll often hear us mentioning all the fantastic equipment donors who provide the kit we need to change and improve education in Africa, however there is another side to the work we do...

Our small team and dedicated volunteers give an enormous amount of time and effort to guarantee that the equipment we send out is fully refurbished and safely packed onto shipping containers ready for use in Africa. 

Our UK operations would not be able to run as efficiently as they do without the help and support of trust funds and grant schemes. ITSA recently received a generous grant from The Summerfield Charitable Trust, to contribute towards the cost of an urgently needed, new forklift truck. This piece of equipment is essential on shipping days. Packing 1,000 computers on to a 40ft container is no easy task, and would take triple the man power and time without a forklift truck! 

This is the third grant ITSA have received from The Summerfield Charitable Trust and we would like to say a big thank you for all the support and making what we do possible! 

You can support our UK operations and make it possible for us to send more computers to Africa. 

In recent years we have been able to provide 6 fully equipped computer labs for 4 secondary schools in Malawi.  Working with our sister charity, Computers for Malawian Schools, we were able to give schools, in desperate need of IT equipment, specifically designed IT labs.

Projects like this are only achievable thanks to the incredible support we have in the UK. Without fundraising, trust funds and grant schemes, we simply would not be able to transform lives in this way. 

If you would like to join us in helping to create brighter futures for students in Africa then please visit our Virgin Money Giving Page or contact beth@itschoolsafrica.org if you would like to plan a fundraising event. 

To keep on track with our aim of sending 500 computers a month to schools in Africa, we need to make sure we get enough kit in! 

We have worked hard over the years to make our donation process as simple as possible. That is why we offer free collections for businesses, universities, schools and colleges. 

We work with many organisations across the UK who are helping to create brighter futures for children in Africa.

If you think you could help by donating IT equipment then please get in touch. 

​Watch this short clip to see how donating IT equipment works for Ecclesiastical..