Computing services donates laptops to students in Liberia

On a day in late January, Jallah Bolay and Matthew Schranz were cleaning a computing services room when they came across a stack of used laptops that needed to be prepared to be sold, a common practice for clearing out used equipment.

Bolay, a senior business major from Liberia, Africa, immediately started thinking about how students back home are not as familiar with computers as students in the United States. Bolay has been a student worker in computing services since the start of fall semester.

“Many students go through their entire schooling without having basic computer experience, leaving them unprepared to handle the day-to-day computer tasks of the digital world in which we live in today,” Bolay said.

The stack of 30 used Dell laptops could make a big difference in the lives of students in Liberia, Bolay thought. He shared this idea with his supervisor, Schranz, Concordia’s system analyst programmer, and that he would greatly appreciate if Concordia could donate them instead of selling them. Schranz ran the idea by Kent Einspahr, Concordia’s chief information officer, and Dave Kumm, Concordia’s chief financial officer.

“They both signed off on the idea so we restored the laptops to factory settings and started making the plans,” Schranz said.

Schranz coordinated with Orphan Grain Train, a Christian volunteer network based in Norfolk that ships donated food, clothing, medical supplies and other items to 68 countries. The organization was preparing a shipment to the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Liberia (ELCL) organized by Bolay's father, Rev. Amos Bolay, who is president of the ELCL.

The laptops, Schranz said, will be received by ELCL and they will be sending them on to local schools, including Bolay's former high school. By receiving these laptops, Bolay’s alma mater is planning to hire a computer teacher and establish a computer educational program that will be part of students’ curriculum where they’ll learn fundamental computer skills.

“I do not want those after me to face the same problems and obstacles I went through,” Bolay said. “I want the younger generation to have better opportunities and educational experiences than I had. I strongly feel this sense of leaving the world a better place than I found it.”

Although Bolay helped organize the donation, he gives all the glory to God and His plan.

“The donation of the laptops by Concordia University is all God’s doing and not mine,” he said. “I am just a medium that God is using to do His will.”

With the impact this donation will make, Schranz said other similar donations could happen in the future. The Orphan Grain Train typically does not receive laptops for donations, he said.

“It’d be great to get to do this again,” Schranz said.