A Donegal company has reached out to Ukrainian refugees living locally with a stunning gesture.
Tata Consultancy Services Global Delivery Centre in Letterkenny is donating 121 laptops and office equipment to the displaced people now living in Donegal.
TCS Global Delivery Centre, Letterkenny responded to a county-wide appeal from the Donegal Intercultural Platform to help establish an education and communication support hub in Letterkenny, which will be dedicated to assisting families from Ukraine.
They are donating to the Donegal Intercultural Platform, and the Red Cross who will distribute them to Ukrainian families living in Donegal.
The Donegal Intercultural Platform plans to refurbish a vacant office space in Letterkenny to create a drop-in hub with internet access allowing people to contact friends and family which will also be used as a place to work and study.
The Hub will also include private interview rooms for counselling and meetings as well as a place to get signposting and assistance about employment, existing services, and entitlements.
Commenting on the initiative Brian Kelly, Head of Corporate Social Responsibility at TCS Letterkenny said, “In times like this, it’s important for us to all come together to support those most impacted by this conflict. We are delighted to support this initiative to help those who have sought shelter in the northwest of Ireland. TCS globally, is assisting in several ways, and this donation of laptops is TCS Letterkenny’s way of playing our part.”
Ray Mackey, at the Irish Red Cross Society, said, “It is initiatives like this to support local refugees that make their situation, and the roles of all parties supporting them, much easier. We could not continue our work without such vital contributions and generosity. We are very grateful to TCS Letterkenny for their hard work in bringing this to fruition. The impact this donation of laptops will have on the lives of so many refugees in Donegal is huge.”
Donegal Intercultural Project Co-ordinator Paul Kernan said the laptops would be distributed to key locations to enable internet access for those who needed it most and to places where people were without suitable technology, many having left home with one bag and a mobile phone.
He added “Many people are working through mobile phones which are very limited in functionality and ease-of-use. The generous donation of office equipment will allow us to furnish the vacant office space which is next door to our Letterkenny base at Academy Court.”
“We have secured some funds for the employment of a part-time development worker but had no resources for the office equipment or furniture needed to equip this service. We are delighted with the assistance and laptop donation from TCS Global Delivery Centre, Letterkenny.”
Globally, TCS has joined an initiative called The Sunflower Project by The Tent Partnership For Refugees, an international non-profit organisation. The project will support Ukrainian refugee women in Europe by hiring them directly into their workforces; training, upskilling, or mentoring them; connecting them to remote freelance work opportunities, and more. As part of this project, TCS provides in-kind donations as well as pro-bono services to refugee-focused organizations.
