The Numbers From 2023: A Look at RAD’s Reach and Impact
Making our mahi count
Recycle A Device is mission-oriented. We want to bridge the digital divide in Aotearoa; we’re slowly chipping away at that enormous task by working towards our three focus outcomes.
Getting devices to ākonga and rangatahi who need them by collecting quality used devices from people and corporations.
Empowering tomorrow’s digital innovators by teaching them to refurbish laptops and devices that are gifted (and providing the resources they need to learn).
Reducing e-waste by diverting it away from landfill and giving it a new life.
Our team works hard to make all of this happen on a shoestring—so it’s great to receive confirmation that our mahi is creating progress towards our lofty goals. The 2023 impact report we released towards the end of last year provided a gratifying look at the impact we’ve made.
You can take a look at the full report here, and we’ve pulled out some of the most exciting stats and stories to highlight below.
Laptops donated at a low cost per unit
One of our yardstick numbers, of course, is how many laptops we gave out during the year. In 2023 that number was a whopping 2,374. Well over two thousand laptops in the hands of people to whom they will make a real difference is a major win if you ask us.
As a not-for-profit organisation, we are always looking to minimise the cost of our operations. The less we spend per laptop, the bigger the impact we can have with the funding we receive from a variety of wonderful donors. In 2023 the total cost per laptop, including all programme expenses, came in at $186. You certainly couldn’t buy new or commercially refurbished laptops at that price, and if you did you’d also be missing out on the additional benefits: upskilling young people with repair skills and reducing the amount of e-waste in landfill.
Rangatahi upskilled in tech
To simply fix up the laptops in-house would be to miss out on the wonderful opportunity to equip NZ’s next generation of digital innovators with crucial skills. In 2023, these young people numbered 334! Each of the devices mentioned above is a chance to teach the art of tech engineering and contribute to a brighter future for an interested young person.
Offering classes in schools has been a win-win for all parties involved. Here is some feedback from Dan Howard at Huntly College:
“The RAD program is one of our most popular subjects ever... students don't want to miss out on a single class."
Digital equity is more than just making sure every person has a device and an internet connection, although that’s an important and practical foundation. Education and opportunity is just as crucial to a future where everyone in Aotearoa has equal access to the ever-expanding digital sphere.
Communities and connections built
We can’t do what we do without a wide array of wonderful people: donors, volunteers, other charities with similar missions, and of course the wonderful rangatahi who participate in laptop repair.
In 2023, Tei Mua Tatou repaired a whopping 623 laptops. This Māngere-based group was our most prolific repairer, and two of their numbers are now RAD trainers who travel the country to spread the mission.
Those who donate used devices and money are, of course, a hugely valued part of our community. Julia Jackson at Kiwibank said:
"We love working with RAD and being a small part of the positive impact that their innovative model creates for schools, rangatahi, communities and the environment."
There were also 109 wonderful organisations that donated laptops to community members on our behalf. Getting devices into the right hands can be logistically tricky, and we are grateful for these groups who help with distribution. One of these was recently featured on the DFA blog—find out more about how RAD partners with TechMate to close the digital divide here!
Waste reduced
Good begets good; we love how our mahi in regards to bridging the digital divide goes hand-in-hand with reducing the e-waste problem in Aotearoa. In 2023, we diverted 3.6 tonnes of electronics from landfill.
It is a sizable problem! This is another topic we covered in more depth on the DFA blog recently—take a look to find out more about the scope of the issue, what’s being done to assuage it (not a lot), and what action individuals can take (beyond donating devices to RAD).
Check out the full 2023 RAD reach and impact report here, and please get in touch with the RAD team if you can contribute to making our numbers even more hopeful in 2024.