In partnership with the international development NGO Enda Tiers Mondein Senegal, StEP members WASTE and Enda Europe launched the project “Keyboards for all…at any price? Towards responsible digital solidarity” in March 2008. The project aims at raising awareness on two issues, and identifying the links that exist between these issues. The first issue is that is generally known as the ‘digital divide’, or the gap in access to Information and Communication Technology (ICT) between developed countries and developing countries, but also the gap within developing countries. The second issue is the growing amount of ewaste, and the general unavailability of safe e-waste treatment facilities in low-and middle-income countries. The project team carried out a study on donations of ICT equipment in France, the Netherlands and Senegal. Moreover, a web search and literature review have been conducted to establish an overview of organizations involved in second hand computer donations (“digital solidarity initiatives”). The project team also contacted public and civil society organizations as well as relevant companies and municipalities in France, the Netherlands and Senegal for interviews.

The project team is carrying out a sensitizing campaign targeting these organizations but also the general public (the European local governments, firms, NGOs facilitating 2nd hand ICT export to developing countries, the European ICT firms and the European consumers of ICT material) based on several sensitization tools like round tables between firms, local governments and NGOs on the digital gap/digital dump, a guidance manual on facilitating the process of sending and maintaining high quality equipment and take-back and management of WEEE in developing countries, a travelling exhibition, a press kit to send to journalists, a comic book, radio sessions, a leaflet on how to use note of EEE, quarterly e-newsletters etc.