De Beers Group has donated 117 new laptop computers to schools in seven Indigenous NWT communities to improve student access to online courses, and 10 surplus computers to increase public access to the Internet at the Yellowknife Public Library.
The donation is part of De Beers’ $176,000 community response to assist NWT communities dealing with the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The new 14” HP laptops, installed with Windows 10 operating systems, are being distributed to:
- Mezi Community School, Whatì
- Jean Wetrade School, Gamètì
- Alex Arrowmaker School, Wekweètì
- Chief Jimmy Bruneau School, Behchokǫ̀
- Łutselkʼe Dene School, Łutselkʼe
- Deninu School, Fort Resolution
- Chief Sunrise Education Centre, K’atłodeeche First Nation Reserve, Hay River
The 10 refurbished surplus laptops will be donated to the Yellowknife Public Library to enable individuals who do not have access to personal computers or the Internet to communicate with loved ones. De Beers notes that the library is often a refuge for homeless and marginalized people looking for warmth and safety.
Lyndon Clark, General Manager of Gahcho Kué Mine, stated that education is one of the key focus areas at De Beers Group and they are pleased to be able to meet an immediate and practical need as students are preparing to go back to school.
“Education is important and we want to ensure that students have the tools they need for online courses.”
To date, De Beers Group has assisted NWT communities by supporting Yellowknife Women’s Centre and the NWT YWCA programs dealing with gender-based violence, food security programs in NWT Indigenous communities and a Yellowknife homeless shelter, PPE for a Yellowknife long-term care facility and Indigenous communities, and providing cleaning supplies for the Salvation Army in Yellowknife.
