Sangonet has created an online technology donation portal that offers non-profit organisations (NPOs) hardware and software at discounts of up to 95% of their retail value.
The portal, Sangotech, went live on 1 December, having been developed in partnership with TechSoup, a San Francisco-based technology capacity-building organisation.
Microsoft SA and Cisco Systems sponsor the initiative and provide the hardware and software sold through the portal, says Sangonet executive director David Barnard.
"The introduction of Sangotech is an important development in reducing cost and strengthening the ICT capacity of the NGO [non-governmental organisation] sector in SA," Barnard says.
There are approximately 100 000 NPOs operating in SA, and Sangotech aims to strengthen their technology infrastructure and their work, he says.
The programme also presents ICT companies with a dedicated platform for supporting the organisations' work in a coordinated and scalable manner, he says.
Matthew De Gale, manager of ICT services at Sangonet, says participation in the programme requires an NPO to have public benefit organisation (PBO) status, granted by the South African Revenue Service.
Those organisations that do not have PBO status may be considered for participation in the programme if they have NPO status, granted by the Directorate for Non-profit Organisations, in the Department for Social Development, he says.
First purchase
De Gale notes that, in addition to meeting the programme eligibility criteria, participating NPOs will also need to meet the specific requirements of each donor partner.
He adds that, since the portal went online at the beginning of December, 40 organisations have registered for approval to participate and 12 organisations have been approved.
De Gale says the inaugural purchase was made by Learn to Earn, a Cape Town-based NPO, which placed an order to the retail value of R150 000 and for which it will only pay R9 000.
Representatives from Microsoft SA and Cisco Systems, the first two sponsors of the programme, encouraged strong participation from the South African ICT sector.
Chose Choeu, director of government affairs at Microsoft SA, says the company will bring its partners to the Sangotech project so they too can assist NPOs gain increased access to technology.
He notes there is a strong need for corporates to work with organisations such as Sangonet to bridge the digital divide, as they work with communities and better understand their ICT needs.
"The ultimate goal is to make sure every NPO and NGO on the planet has the technology resources and knowledge they need to operate at their full potential," says Rebecca Masisak, VP and GM of TechSoup.
TechSoup, established five years ago in the US, also has operations in Canada, the UK, Belgium and Poland.
Share
