[2021] This year students and staff in the School of Informatics celebrated Volunteer’s Week by helping our official school charity, the Turing Trust, to pack computer kits to be sent to students in Malawi. Informatics students and staff contributed their time to help prepare refurbished computers for dispatch to Africa. Their work included testing donated computers, sorting cables and repacking the kits. As a result of the volunteering and the recent work of the Turing Trust, around 500 PCs are now ready to be shipped to Malawi. This means that around 9,000 more students will learn vital IT skills. Beyond this, the environmental impact from these PCs will offset 140 tonnes of CO2 emissions, which is the equivalent of planting 350 trees. "We've been delighted to work with several groups of volunteers from the School of Informatics over the last few weeks. Together they've put in a huge amount of work in testing and packing some of our IT equipment.” James TuringFounder & CEO of the Turing Trust Image Informatics students helping out at the Turing Trust Zhuocheng Zheng, MSc in Data Science student observed that the volunteering created a perfect opportunity to connect with fellow students, as there have been so few chances to do so this academic year making it particularly hard for Master's students. Weixiao Huang, Computer Science and Management Science student, added: “Helping others actually helps yourself.” The Turing Trust has been the official School charity since 2018. Over the years we have donated time, used computer kits and money raised during various activities by student societies and members of staff. The Turing Trust was founded by Alan Turing’s family, with the aim to continue his legacy by using technology to empower disadvantaged communities. Alan Turing saw IT as a tool for solving immense challenges. He also had a passion for helping others: he funded one member of his foster family to work in Africa and sponsored a Jewish refugee’s schooling during World War II. The Turing Trust refurbish IT equipment, install a range of educational software and provide it to those who need it most. In their first 10 years they have enabled access to computers for over 55,000 students across Africa. Staff in the School of Informatics are encouraged to use their one paid leave day that all university staff are entitled to support the Turing Trust. Related links The Turing Trust One Day to Make a Difference Volunteer's Week 2021 This article was published on 2024-03-18
