I WOULD like to ask readers to donate any redundant software they may have lying about in the office or at home to a project in Africa, where it will be used to help orphanages and rural schools.

Anything will be useful - programs you no longer use, older versions of programs. You send it and I will sort it and make sure it gets a good home.

You will be surprised what can be used - games for keyboard skills, educational programs, business programs (to train young people how to use spreadsheets, word processors, databases).

It must be the original disks (or even CDs) and, if possible, accompanied by supporting paperwork.

People can often have a stereotype view of Africa, thinking it is a backward place where children can hardly read and write, never mind need computers. But in many places, schools and orphanages are realising that children having an understanding of computers could put them at a great advantage when seeking employment.

I have seen very successful computer awareness classes being run in the middle of a rural area of Zimbabwe using very old computers. All the basics were being taught to junior school-level pupils.

At senior level, children may need up-to-date equipment, but at many levels they can, and do, use older machines.

Please send any redundant software you have to me.

NEVILLE O'GRADY, Softaid, 5 St John Street, London EC1M 4AA.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.