Phones for Africa

Hackney residents are being urged to recycle old phones for use in Africa. At least 3 out of 4 of us own a mobile phone and every hour 1712 mobile phones are upgraded in the UK alone.

If all mobile-users in the UK threw their old phones in the bin large amounts of toxic chemicals would leak into the environment.

On October 18th 2006 Parliament launched “Phones 4 Africa”, a campaign which will send old, unwanted mobile phones to be reconditioned and reused in African nations.

Wider access to communications in Africa is an important element in tackling poverty. With poor infrastructure in roads and transport in African countries, having a mobile phone can be vital to the lives of individuals. In emergency cases where the nearest hospital is 90 miles away people can call for help and diagnoses, making the difference between life and death.

Meg said, “There are more phones on the island of Manhattan than in the whole of sub-Saharan Africa. This small step could help to redress the balance and provide a vital local resource.”

Phones can be sent to freepost address, FREEPOST Fonebak Vodafone Africa or handed in at any branch of Oxfam.