Commercial has announced that a team from its Change Champions employee volunteering scheme completed a successful charity day for IT Schools Africa recently. The team of seven from across Commercial visited the facility in Cheltenham and dismantled 40 servers for recycling.

The charity day came about through Commercial’s existing partnership with IT Schools Africa to recycle computer equipment which is then sent to schools in Kenya, Malawi, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. This enables quality education and transforms lives through access to e-learning. The Managed IT with a Conscience programme encourages all Commercial’s partners and customers to recycle unused computers, laptops, monitors and keyboards.

Simone Hindmarch, Managing Director and Co-Founder said, “we were very pleased to be able to support IT Schools Africa directly. The IT kit is sent to Africa by container ship, where ITSA’s NGO partners on the ground arrange re-testing of equipment, teacher training, and the ongoing technical support for the schools. We are proud to be part of such a transformative scheme.”

Jenny Evans, Marketing Co-ordinator at IT Schools Africa added, “the equipment Commercial kindly donated to IT Schools Africa is now being put to great use and is transforming education in Kenya, Malawi, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.      

“The students and members of their communities will benefit from life-enhancing knowledge and skills, access to further education and improved opportunities for employment. Thank you Commercial, for helping us to offer brighter futures to African schoolchildren.” 

A 2017 Change Champions team created this charity day for employees to take paid leave to go into the community and support a cause they hold dear. For example, employees have run marathons for charities, worked with local animal shelters and carried out garden clearance. To date over 40 days of paid leave have been granted.