ReCellular, the world’s leading source and solution for used electronics, donated 3,000 data cards to Literacy Bridge during Cell Phone Recycling Week. This donation supports Literacy Bridge’s effort to bring literacy and knowledge sharing to the most remote and impoverished areas of the world through the Talking Book, an innovative, low cost audio computer.
Talking Books in Ghana and other developing countries allow:
- - Students to improve their literacy by listening to book readings;
- - Mothers to learn to keep their children healthy by listening to advice from local nurses; and,
- - Farmers to grow more crops for their families by applying locally recorded agriculture expertise. This can make the difference between dangerous malnutrition and being able to sell enough crops to care for their families and pay for a child’s education.
“Used phones have the potential to create tremendous social change around the world” says Mike Newman, Vice President at ReCellular. “We’re thrilled that because of the many people who recycling their phones with ReCellular, we can help worthy efforts like Literacy Bridge.”
Each data card donated by ReCellular provides dozens of hours of content on a single Talking Book, a perfect example of electronics reuse at its best. Together, Literacy Bridge and ReCellular are empowering people in the poorest parts of the world with access to knowledge for fighting poverty and disease.
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Friday, October 15th, 2010
Last year, a handful of employees at Microsoft worked together to benefit hundreds of people both in Redmond and Africa. A committee within Microsoft’s Windows Server organization raised support for Talking Book programs as part of their annual Giving Campaign, which takes place each October.
The committee put on what they called the “Give O Gram” program where their peers could make donations on behalf of one another–often to encourage or thank them in some way. The recipient received a card (right) that contained a personal message and an overview of cause that was supported in their name. In all, over 130 Give O Grams were given and Microsoft matched each donation—meaning each “Give O Gram” went twice as far in helping ensure accessible knowledge for all.
This effort is a great example of how employees can make a true difference in their workplace for Literacy Bridge. Not only did this help raise morale among the recipients here in Washington, but the ‘real’ recipients of this work are those in rural regions who have benefitted from Talking Books. Because of this effort, Literacy Bridge has been able to further its work in Ghana. For example, 50 Talking Books will soon be delivered to Ghana’s Cocoa Board where they will be used to reach cocoa farmers with information about agriculture and health. The donations also helped support a program that targets women farmers in the Upper West region. The “Give O Gram” program is one that will truly continue giving in years to come as farmers benefit from the knowledge they receive.
If you work at an organization that either has an employee campaign or would be interested in sponsoring a similar effort, please contact us and we can help support you with our team of volunteers. The possibilities are endless!
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Literacy Bridge
