In addition to sending volunteers and cash donations to cooperatives in other countries, NRECA International also sends donations of new and used equipment. That’s because much of what we deem obsolete here in the United States still might have a long life somewhere else.

NRECA recently donated more than 150 pieces of computer equipment to a cooperative in Guatemala. Get the full story below.

Want to learn more about how you can do something similar at your cooperative? For more information, contact Katalina Mayorga via email or by phone at 703-907-5692.

Special Delivery: NRECA Computers Go Overseas
By Derrill Holly
Used with permission from Electric Cooperative Today

Computer equipment, used for nearly a decade to conduct the business of NRECA, is now being shipped overseas, compliments of a technology assistance program supported by NRECA International Foundation.

“Some computers are going to a member-owned municipal utility in Guatemala where co-op volunteers from the United States will be working in July,” said Vivek Talvadkar, senior vice president of NRECA International Programs.

Other units are headed to the island of Mindanao in the Philippines and should arrive within a month. “We’re used to changing our computers out every few years, but we’re sending these where people will get another five years’ usage out of them,” Talvadkar said.

Preparations began weeks ago as staffers in NRECA’s information technology department cleaned and tested each piece of equipment.

All NRECA data had to be removed from the hard drives before the disks were reformatted and operating systems were restored.

“We brought them back to life as they were when they were delivered from the manufacturers in 2001 and 2002,” said Espedito Gasparo, an IT contract employee.

“Some of these computers will be used to provide better member services to growing utilities in Guatemala, and others are bound for classrooms and co-op-supported community projects in the Philippines,” said Katalina Mayorga, an NRECA International Foundation senior assistant.

“This is a great way to support the work co-op volunteers from across the United States are doing overseas on behalf of the foundation.”

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