Where do your computers go? This gallery will hopefully explain a little of what goes into the process of getting your computers over to Africa where they are used to help schools and local communities. Computers For Charity works with a number of charities operating in the developing world and this is a photo story showing some of our work with Techknowledgy Ghana.
Photo Copyright CFC © 2004	Collection: First we collect computer systems from across the UK using our own vans and couriers. These are brought to our main depot in Cornwall where they are cleaned, refurbished and made ready for export.
Then we get an empty 40ft shipping container loaded onto our own articulated trailer. We use our own trailer to reduce costs as we need it on-site for about 6 weeks whilst we fill it.	Photo Copyright CFC © 2004
Photo Copyright CFC © 2004	The computers are placed onto pallets in order to move them around safely and taken to the container.
A 40ft container will hold around 750 complete computer systems comprising the base unit, monitor, mouse, keyboard and power leads. Careful stacking is required to get them all into the container in such a way the very few will get broken or damaged on their way to Africa. A full container weighs approximately 24 tonnes.	Photo Copyright CFC © 2004
Photo: Coutrtesy Philip B Parker © 2004	Once full the container is sealed by locking it with a container seal and transported by road up to Felixstowe docks. Where it will be loaded onto one of the large container ships for a sea voyage of anything up to about 28 days.
When the container arrives in the African port it then has to be transported, usually by road, to the town or country where the computers are needed.  Not all African countries have a sea port for example, items going to Uganda must be taken to the port of Mombasa in Kenya then transported across Kenya to Kampala in Uganda. Check out the tyres on this truck!	Photo Copyright Techknowledgy Ghana © 2004
Photo Copyright Techknowledgy Ghana © 2004	Having found a truck capable of making journeys across thousands of miles of dodgy roads
Eventually a container might arrive in the main distribution centre in Ghana, but in the absence of specialist lifting equipment.....	Photo Copyright Techknowledgy Ghana © 2004
Photo Copyright Techknowledgy Ghana © 2004	..with plenty of tea breaks...
...an empty container is moved onto its plinth ready to be used for storage...	Photo Copyright Techknowledgy Ghana © 2004
Photo Copyright Techknowledgy Ghana © 2004	...leaving enough time for the workers to pose for the essential photograph!
The arrival at Labone...	Photo Copyright Techknowledgy Ghana © 2004
Photo Copyright Techknowledgy Ghana © 2004	...always gets a warm welcome.
Our projects do not simply provide the hardware to the schools, we also provide ongoing support and training until the school becomes self-sufficient and able to maintain the computers itself.	Photo Copyright Techknowledgy Ghana © 2004
Photo Copyright Techknowledgy Ghana © 2004	An existing classroom is converted to become a computer suite by installing an air-conditioning unit and ensuring an adequate and reliable power supply.
Another school and another project. The difference these computers make to the children in these countries is evident wherever we go.	Photo Copyright Techknowledgy Ghana © 2004
Photo Copyright Techknowledgy Ghana © 2004	Yet another school project is made ready...
...for the children of Akimabor.	Photo Copyright Techknowledgy Ghana © 2004
Photo Copyright Techknowledgy Ghana © 2004	Mumford village near Accra is the location for one our of latest projects...
...to provide a computer suite for the children of this fishing village.	Photo Copyright Techknowledgy Ghana © 2004
Together Computers For Charity, Teknowedgy UK, Techknowledgy Ghana, Techknowledgy Tansania with your help are making a big difference to the lives of the children we reach. Tell us what you think below by clicking on one of the options and then the submit button - thanks.