Close the Gap is an international social enterprise that aims to bridge the digital divide by offering high-quality, pre-owned computers donated by European and international companies to educational, medical, and social projects in developing and emerging countries.
Close the Gap collects decommissioned computers from companies and arranges for other organizations to clean the hard disks and then check and configure the hardware according to the requirements of its end-users. The computers are then shipped to the destination country by sea or air transport, to support educational, medical, entrepreneurial, and social projects. All the projects are demand-driven and impact-oriented initiatives.
Impact
Since 2003, Close the Gap has already received more than 1 499 716 ICT devices from companies all over the world.
Today, Close the Gap has supported more than 10 670 projects in more than 50 countries (mostly in Africa), and reached more than 5 496 807 beneficiaries.
Our other initiatives that help bridge the digital divide are
Worldloop
Close the Gap values the sustainable recycling of e-waste. Through Worldloop, we make sure that the donated computers are disposed of in an environmentally responsible way when they are no longer useful.
The BOOST programme
Close the Gap supports entrepreneurship and innovation by organizing innovation challenges where entrepreneurs receive the opportunity to develop their innovative ideas which provide digital solutions for societal issues.
Digital for Development platform
This platform ultimately aims at building a bridge between the Belgian private sector and the development sector in realizing the Sustainable Development Goals and creating new partnerships.
All of these initiatives contribute to creating impact in Africa and other developing countries.
1 499 716
# assets collected
5 496 807
# beneficiaries reached