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Computer Aid International specialises in recycling and refurbishing Pentium class computers and sending them out to equip schools and not-for-profit organisations in developing countries. Based in London, the charity says it is the biggest such supplier in the world.

To mark the 50,000th PC milestone, the organisation was joined by the Kenyan High Commissioner PC on behalf of the Computers For Schools Kenya (CFSK) scheme. The organisation has already donated some 1500 machines to Kenya and expects to increase the number even more in the near future.

'We are committed to helping Kenya reach its target of 70 per cent of secondary schools being Internet enabled by 2008,' said Tony Roberts, Chief Executive and the founder of Computer Aid International. 'The generosity of our ever expanding donor base,

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which includes British Airways and Cap Gemini has allowed us to reach the 50,000 milestone incredibly quickly. We feel with the continuing support of UK organisations, we can reach future milestones and help bridge the digital divide.'

Computer Aid International is committed to providing the highest level decommissioning service to its UK computer donors and delivery of the highest quality refurbished computers to its recipient partners overseas. This only means making some repairs and refurbishing machines where necessary but also ensuring that any sensitive data is wiped from the hard disk drives.

Computer Aid International is sure that its service can only grow with the introduction of the much-delayed European Union Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) directive at the end of this year. It says it aims to refurbish another 20,000 PCs by the end of the year.

The WEEE directive forces computer and other electronics manufacturers to take back old and obsolete equipment for recycling principally to remove the pressure on landfill and to remove some of the poisonous heavy metals that are used in a lot of electrical equipment. For many companies recycling through CAI will be a more cost-effective way of disposing of old kit and help developing countries. CAI points out that it can donate 20 machines to the developing world for the price of buying a new one.