Hundreds of computers from the University of Aberdeen are set to wing their way to Africa as part of a new charity deal.
The institution is the first in the North-east to develop a partnership with Edinburgh-based charity, Reusing IT.
Each year between 400 and 600 PCs which the University has phased out of use will be reconfigured and then donated through Reusing IT to NGOs, charities and community projects in Africa.
Over the last ten years, Reusing IT has supplied over 2,000 PCs to workers involved in health, education and development projects in the most vulnerable communities in Kenya and Sierra Leone.
Ross Cockburn, coordinator for Reusing IT, stressed the enormous effect that the equipment will have on the lives of ordinary people in some of the poorest communities in the world.
He said: "We believe that it is a basic human right to have the tools to be able to create, learn, and share information. In today's world, computers are the basic tool to which every person should be able to have access, and our dream would be for every child in the world to have his or her own email address.
"We know already from projects to which we have supplied equipment - such as HIV/AIDs education - that what we regard as a routine way to communicate can actually revolutionise health and education initiatives and will literally save lives."
Amy Gray, the University's Waste and Environmental Manager, said the agreement was part of the University's commitment to sustainability and the environment.
"This new deal goes some way to achieving the University's waste reuse target as identified within our Waste Policy, and it's a great opportunity to see items being reused in a beneficial way".
This project forms part of initial steps towards making the University of Aberdeen more sustainable, with Fairtrade Status already achieved and further policies adopted for utilities, travel and sustainable building.
The University signed the agreement with Reusing IT representatives on Friday, February 22.