Kelowna

A Kelowna humanitarian is still accepting used computer monitors to send to Africa.

Ludwig Teichgraber has been collecting computers to send to Cameroon for nearly a year and is saddened that someone stolen 31 monitors donated to the cause by Interior Health Authority.

The monitors, destined for hospitals and schools, were being stored in a vehicle and were stolen late last week.

RCMP are investigating and say they have contacted local pawnshops with the monitor's serial numbers.

Teichgraber says he is still accepting donations of used computers, monitors, good quality bicycles and money to help cover the shipping costs of the container he is hoping to fill.

“If anyone has something they would like to donate, they can contact me via email and I can tell them if we can accept their item. We can't take just anything, it has to be useful. We can't take the old style computer monitors because of the environmental issues and because they cost more to ship. The costs of shipping a flat screen monitor are about a tenth of sending an older one,” says Teichgraber.

He says this is the forth such shipping container he has helped fill since 2000.

“The container is filled by different local, faith-based groups. We have about five groups working to fill this one with things needed in Cameroon.”

Teichgraber, who is one of the organizers of the non-profit group Wireless Light and Power, says the organizations help fill a need by filling the container.

“My group works at bring electricity to smaller, poor communities, so some of what we are putting in the container is the equipment for that purpose.”

He says anyone who would like to donate an item or money can contact him at teichgraber@shaw.ca

The shipping container will be heading towards Cameroon in July and will cost an estimated $25,000 to send overseas.

Link: Donated computer monitors stolen