A laptop donation empowers a First Nations woman

Ever been unsure about the impact your donation has on the person in need who's receiving it? Watch this video and read on.

Argyle Housing provides affordable and social housing to people on low to moderate incomes. This includes people experiencing financial hardship, and people at risk of or experiencing homelessness.

When one of Argyle Housing's tenants, Luanne started her Certificate II in Business course, Argyle team member Phil Mitchell turned to GIVIT to find Luanne a laptop for her studies.

Peter Mitchell | Argyle Housing

"Argyle Housing provides secure and sustainable housing for people on low to moderate incomes, and our people come from all walks of life.

My position is to link people in the community and that's something that GIVIT does very well, and we thought because Luanne was studying we might put in for a computer. And we were very lucky, straight away very lucky."

Charlotte | GIVIT donor

"It feels pretty good donating to people that need things. You've got things sitting around at home that aren't being used to to be able to give them to people that need them feels pretty good."

Luanne | Recipient of laptop

"I started a Business II admin course and it's going to help me upgrade my mind, get to know the keyboard a lot better, and actually don't need help to do anything because I'll know it all myself sooner or later."

Charlotte

"Using GIVIT is so easy. All you do is take a couple of photos, put in the item you've got and just upload it."

Luanne

"I honestly can't believe that someone is willing to donate something like that to a stranger, to anyone. It's good. I'm glad.

Don't be scared to donate, because it's going to help people in need."

I started a Business II admin course and it's going to help me upgrade my mind, get to know the keyboard a lot better, and actually don't need help to do anything...

LUANNE, RECIPIENT OF A LAPTOP

For GIVIT donor Charlotte, the decision was an easy one.

"It feels pretty good donating to people that need things. You've got things sitting around at home that aren't being used to to be able to give them to people that need them feels pretty good."

For Charlotte, the laptop was just an item around the house that she no longer needed, and in many circumstances, these surplus possessions end up in the bin.

Because Charlotte decided to donate rather than discard, Luanne has the means to access education, improve her computer skills, gain confidence, and improve her prospects of meaningful employment. That alone is extremely powerful.

But on top of this, the donation made Luanne feel seen. It made her feel like she wasn't alone - that someone was in her corner with her.

"I honestly can't believe that someone is willing to donate something like that to a stranger, to anyone. It's good. I'm glad."

Your donated laptop might not seem like it will make a big difference. But for someone trying to turn things around and improve their future, a laptop is a lifeline. A laptop is a tool that can help people overcome obstacles and break down barriers that have been holding them back all their lives. Laptops can:

Give people access to online courses and resources, helping them gain new skills and knowledge.
Give people the ability to complete coursework and assignments that's required to be completed online.
Allow people to communicate more effectively with teachers and classmates.
Help people with finding and applying for jobs.