Turning waste to opportunities

HERIOT-WATT University Malaysia (HWUM) has partnered with SOLS Tech, the technological arm of the humanitarian organisation SOLS 24/7 Malaysia, for its campaign Transform it. The brainchild of SOLS Tech, Transform it aims to collect and refurbish/recondition old electronic devices to be donated to underprivileged communities in Malaysia.
The partnership, between the student body AIESEC SU at HWUM and Hewlett Packard (HP), offers an exclusive deal to both students and staff. In exchange for their old devices, participants of the programme at HWUM can earn discounts from HP to purchase new computers and laptops.
According to SOLS Tech programme manager Omar Elkhawaja, there are over 10 million Malaysians without access to basic technology and more than 78,000 tonnes of e-waste (around four million computers) disposed nationwide every year. This campaign offers a sustainable solution that can benefit the environment and society by relieving people of their old digital devices and donating them (once reconditioned) to the underprivileged.
Besides giving a new lease of life to old digital devices, working components for devices that cannot be fixed or repaired entirely are salvaged, while parts that cannot be used are recycled responsibly. This works in line with the 3R process – refurbish, reuse and recycle – embraced by the working partners. Apart from helping underserved communities, the digital devices also work out as a training platform for students of the IT programme at SOLS 24/7.
In the past three years, SOLS Tech has refurbished and donated nearly 5,000 devices in Malaysia, impacting more than 4,000 lives of people from needy communities.
SOLS 24/7 Malaysia COO Tim Spijker expressed his joy for the start of this campaign, which carries the core values of the organisation.
“Technology and IT education are not just about machines and devices. They are about people and opportunities,” he said.
According to HWUM provost and CEO Prof Robert Craik, Transform it is very much in line with the university’s aspirations to be a truly green campus that other organisations can take lessons from. “We want to emphasise among students, as well as staff members, the importance of recycling and reusing.”
Transform it is a campaign powered by SOLS Tech and supported by HP, the Hong Leong Foundation, HWUM and AIESEC SU at HWUM . The university’s specialised unit president Stacy Primus Liew said that HWUM is “looking forward to make a positive impact beyond the mere donation of computers.”
SOLS Tech is a driver of the Transform it campaign and asocial enterprise looking to expand across Malaysia by partnering with more companies and universities to make technology and education available to everyone, especially the local underserved communities. They are also a “Microsoft Registered Refurbisher” and a certified Google Educator, Google Educator Trainer and Microsoft IT Professional.
Malaysians can be a part of Transform it by dropping off their old electronic devices at SOLS Tech specified collection points.
Log on to www.sols247.org to learn of these drop-off venues or more information on the campaign.