Tanzania, 2000 – Reusing IT travelled to Tanzania to assist with technology for a primary health care project.
Wamata is a grass-roots charitable organisation which has been combating HIV/AIDS in Tanzania since 1989. Reusing IT’s primary aim for this visit was to set up a computer and spreadsheets to help Wamata administer an initiative whereby people paid into a co-op giving them access to care.
The gruelling 7 hour drive on challenging roads was well worth the effort; an added impact of the computer was that the charity was able to immediately print 200 informational leaflets using an inkjet printer. It would have taken local volunteers two to three days to produce hand-written leaflets, which was how they had previously been spreading awareness of the charity’s services. The fact that the information was printed also meant that people took it more seriously, multiplying even more the impact of the computer far beyond the initial intent for it.