Microsoft's $3 software plan ignores hardware problem

I had a mail this morning from Tony Roberts, chief executive of IT charity Computer Aid. The organisation takes old tech from the UK and refurbishes it for use in developing countries. (I recently took part in a cycle challenge across Kenya with Computer Aid so have to admit to being slightly bias to Tony's views.)

Tony's happy to see Microsoft doing something to tackle the digital divide but feels that the lack of hardware is the main issue holding back developing countries. (Others are not so sympathetic. A move that the software giant is positioning as giving developing countries access to Microsoft products at a vastly discounted rate - is seen by some as a cynical move to get poor countries hooked on software they can't afford long-term)

Here is Tony's view in full on why the Microsoft scheme only tackles half the problem.

"While we welcome any initiative that helps provide schools in developing countries with access to affordable ICT. Microsoft plans to offer a range of its software products to schools in developing countries for a cut-down price of $3 – but this begs the question of where the hardware will come from?

“Without the hardware it’s like donating the tyres but not the tractor. Currently the price of a new PC in developing countries is £600, typically higher than the average annual income per head in countries such as Malawi where it is £300 and Zambia which is £500.

“It is estimated that five billion people globally do not have access to ICT and therefore are permanently locked out of the globalising information economy and remain locked into poverty. It is only possible to work your way out of poverty if you have access to the basic business tools and knowledge upon which the modern globalised economy is now premised. To make this possible we urgently need more PC donations. Because the cost of new PCs is often higher than school budgets can manage, schools have to rely upon not-for-profit organisations to provide them with the hardware that they require.

“It is essential that the massive excess of unwanted ICT in rich developed countries is transferred to the most disadvantaged economies - if global inequalities are to be reduced.

“To date Computer Aid has sent over 88,000 PCs to schools in more than 100 developing countries. Ten years of experience in providing refurbished PCs to schools has allowed us to build up an unrivalled level of experience. Rather then requiring schools with minimal budgets to purchase new PCs our service provides schools with professionally refurbished PCs that will work well for another three or four years enabling IT literacy and highly vocational training. Computer Aid lets the recipient school decide whether they require Windows or open-source software either of which can be pre-installed so that the PC can be used out of the box.

“Currently most African children graduate from formal education without any IT skills. At the same time developed countries dispose of millions of working PCs every year. Demand for Computer Aid PCs currently greatly outstrips supply. With more donations we can help additional schools like Our Lady Fatima secondary school, located in one of the biggest slums in Nairobi, Kenya. Following the introduction of PCs from Computer Aid the employment prospects of the children are now vastly improved according to the school’s head teacher. However there are literally hundreds of other schools waiting for this opportunity to provide their students with the vocational skills that employment now demands.

“The $3 Microsoft software is a welcome part of the solution. Yet there is an urgent need to dramatically increase the percentage of the two million working PCs that companies will decommission in 2007 to charities like Computer Aid International. Currently only five per cent are donated to charitable causes.”