Laptops for Ukraine

Give your spare laptop, phone or tablet a new life in the hands of a Ukrainian healthcare worker, teacher, student. Ukrainian cultural institutions are also seeking the help of organisations and other EU institutions in preserving their collections at risk due to the war.

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About the initiative

Ukraine needs your help to stay connected

Since the start of the full scale Russian invasion, it has become increasingly difficult for the Ukrainian people to stay connected.

The war has had a devastating impact on Ukrainian infrastructure, and millions of people have been displaced, forcing their work, education and social lives online. It is estimated that 200,000 schoolchildren in the most affected regions are now learning remotely.

A severe shortage of electronic devices like laptops, tablets and phones threatens to unplug the Ukrainian people from the internet.

At the same time, the greatest ever relocation of museum collections took place, counting over 300.000 evacuated objects, to protect Ukraine’s art from the war. Digital devices can help to keep track of evacuated Ukrainian cultural heritage, to preserve them, or to restore them if needed.

Let’s keep Ukraine connected.
Let’s collect #LaptopsforUkraine.

Odesa Fine Art Museum/OFAM, 24/02/2022 by Ivan Strahov.

Why are devices needed?

7.1m

people are internally displaced, including up to 2.8 million children

5.7m

children in Ukraine have had their education disrupted

2677

education institutions damaged

1153

damaged or destroyed buildings including 542 public hospitals and other healthcare institutions

12m

museum objects of the State Museum Fund are currently recorded and kept only in paper form.

What devices are needed?

Laptops

Tablets

Phones

Specifically for cultural institutions (scanners, cameras, storage devices)

Contact Us

Please, wipe your device of all personal information before donation

The Ministry of Digital Transformation of Ukraine, the European Commission and DIGITALEUROPE do not take responsibility for any information that remains in the donated device.

Hear from the Ukrainian people

FAQs

What do I need to set up a collection point?

Firstly, thank you so much for your support!

For the moment, you need to be a registered organisation (public or private) in order to set up a collection point. This is because we use the EU’s civil protection mechanism. We will inform you if this changes.

Most importantly, you do not need to arrange logistics of getting the equipment to Ukraine. Our team will be able to pick it up from your location using the EU civil protection mechanism, via the Digital Tech Hub in Kosice, Slovakia.

But you do need to commit to collecting 50 (fifty) or more devices or other ICT equipment. This is the minimum number needed for the EU civil protection mechanism to come and pick them up. Please note: While we cover the cost of transport to Ukraine we cannot offer any payment or reimbursement of costs of running a collection point.

What we need from you:

  1. Contact information for our project website (https://laptopsforukraine.com/) – email address, phone number, address.
  2. Logistical information – e.g. the opening hours, how to access (if necessary) and other relevant details about your collection point. These details are up to you.
    • We will publish your address and contact and other details on a map on the website, so that
      individuals/enterprises can find you and bring in donations.
  3. Promotion in your local language, e.g. via your newsletters and social media
  4. When receiving donations, we would need you to register the following information from donors. We need this basic information to be able to make an inventory of the equipment we ship to Ukraine, and to count it to see if we reach our target. We do not need to know specifications of the devices.
    • Numbers of laptops/phones/tablets/other equipment
    • Charger, yes/no
    • Name (optional – if they want their names listed as a thank you on our website)
    • Email address (optional – if they want to receive updates about the campaign)
    • We have created this form, which you are welcome to use. If you need to adapt it to a
      different language let us know.
  5. Please remind each donor that the devices must be fully functional.
  6. Once you have collected a sufficient amount of devices (at least 50), you will need to fill in some simple documentation and share it with your national civil protection authority. The European Commission team can help guide you through this process (we will provide you with contact details).

We welcome photos and videos of your efforts, and we encourage you to use social media using the hashtag #LaptopsForUkraine, tagging @DIGITALEUROPE, @DigitalEU and @mintsyfra. We will showcase them on our accounts!

I’m an individual donor from a town or country where there is no collection point. How can I donate?

Currently there is no collection point in your city. Find your nearest collection point here. If you want to mail your donation from inside the EU, it is welcome, but we cannot refund your postal costs. In this case, please post it to our Brussels address:

DIGITALEUROPE

Rue de la Science 37

1000 – Brussels Belgium*

*Before proceeding to your donation, we invite you to consult our quality requirements here.

I’m from the UK/the US or another non-EU country. Can I donate?

Unfortunately the Laptops For Ukraine scheme is supported by the EU and we cannot yet organise deliveries from outside-EU countries. We do not recommend sending devices by post because of the high costs to you and because of customs issues.

We are currently looking into ways that people can make donations from outside-EU countries.

I’m a Ukrainian citizen and I need a laptop, where can I get one?

Thanks for your message. We are aware that many Ukrainian citizens need devices at this moment. It’s why we set up this campaign.

The priorities in terms of donations will be coordinated by the Ministry of Digital Transformation of Ukraine. Critical infrastructure such as hospitals and schools will be the first priority.

After the campaign, we will inform you on where the laptops were donated.

Can I donate materials other than computers/devices?

Yes, Ukraine needs all types of ICT equipment, from screens to chargers (see quality requirements here). Please don’t hesitate to donate this kind of equipment as well. Please contact us to see the full list of equipment needed.

What are the minimum requirements for devices?

It seems obvious, but the device(s) should be fully functional. For laptops, that also means a working battery, screen and keyboard/trackpad. For phones or other touch-screen devices, there should be a working battery and screen. All donated items must come with a functioning charger. Please note that any personal/sensitive information should be removed from your device before donating it.

For the complete list of quality requirements, please refer to this document.

Do you require any specific brand/OS devices?

For laptops, they can be Windows/Mac/Linux machines. For other devices, they can be Android/iOS operated devices.

Do I need to wipe the device before donating?

Yes, this is important: please remove any personal/sensitive information from your device before donating it *.

* The Ukrainian Ministry of Digital Transformation, the European Commission and DIGITALEUROPE do not take responsibility for any information that remains in the donated device.

What happens to my device when it reaches Ukraine?

The device delivery will be coordinated by the Ministry of Digital Transformation of Ukraine and distributed to where it is most needed. This could be a school, a hospital, a local administration, or an individual. This decision depends on the quality of the device and Ukraine’s most pressing needs.

Throughout the campaign we will regularly communicate on those that receive the devices.

I’ve lost the charger, is that a problem?

For quality reasons, we no longer accept devices without their corresponding charger. For further information on our quality requirements, we invite you to consult this document.

Will my donation be publicised?

Yes – if you agree to it. We are running a communications campaign and will publicise donors and donations regularly on the campaign website and on social media. You are also welcome to share your donation story on the EUTech4Ukraine Futurium community and on social media using #LaptopsforUkraine .

How will my device get to Ukraine?

Deliveries will be coordinated through the EU Civil Protection Mechanism.

We are an EU public administration, can we donate under this initiative?

Yes, this is possible. If the number of devices you wish to donate is below 50 , we invite you to bring your donation to one of the collection hubs set up for the initiative (consult the website for more precise information on the exact locations). Please note that collection hubs will accept donations only until 29 March 2024*.

If you want to donate more than 50 devices, you can contact the European Commission directly at CNECT-SUPPORT-UKRAINE@ec.europa.eu. For larger donations, the initiative will continueeven after March 2024.

*Before proceeding to your donation, we invite you to consult our quality requirements here.

Is money also accepted as a donation under this initiative?

This initiative only focuses on the donation of devices. If you wish to donate money to Ukraine, we invite you to go through the UNITED24 initiative. More information can be found here: UNITED 24

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