Cell phones, laptops needed for Ukranian refugees in New West

Imagine being on the other side of the world and struggling to stay connected with the ones you love and miss. 

It's an experience dozens of Ukranian families in New West are going through, as they've had to escape the horrors of war thousands of kilometres away. 

"[New West] has received a lot of refugees from Ukraine who are coming here, and they really just came with the clothes on their backs. They just grabbed whatever they could," explains Lola Jecmenica, who is the digital inclusion project coordinator at Purpose Society. 

While the current drive is focusing on the Ukranian community, it's common for the Digital Inclusion Project to help people from all walks of life stay connected. The project launched in 2020, and Jecmenica says more than 400 devices have been given to people in New West. 

The project is a partnership between the City of New Westminster, Douglas College, and the New Westminster Public Library. Aside from keeping locals connected, Jecmenica says the program comes with a number of other benefits, like diverting electronic waste. 

"It's technically greener than recycling them, because we're actually extending the life [of the device] rather than just getting it recycled," she says. 

The request for devices for Ukranian families began through the Purpose Society's connection with the Immigrant Services Society of BC. While Ukranian refugees have received some financial support, Jecmenica says that money can disappear pretty quickly after spending it on rent and food. Some newcomers are still looking for employment, while others are trying to keep up with schoolwork.

"I had [a Ukranian family, which included] a teenage boy and teenage daughter. The teenage boy wanted a desktop computer, which we also have, but he was studying 3D modelling. He couldn't take his fancy 3D modelling computer with him [when they fled Ukraine] so his mom asked for that," says Jecmenica, who says Purpose was able to add a graphics card to the device. "Now he can do his classes ... we also set up his sister with a cell phone."

With internet cut off in Ukraine because of the war, some Ukrainians staying in Canada have had to go back to telephone conversations, instead of using apps to chat. 

"They actually need cell phones with plans and minutes to talk because they can't talk through WhatsApp anymore," she explains. 

Jecmenica hopes people will check their drawers, storage, and anywhere else you might be keeping an old phone or laptop, as it could be a difference-maker. While they've managed to help 14 New West-based Ukrainian families, there are still three on their list—and Jecmenica is expecting another influx of people who will need help staying connected. 

"We've seen sometimes where it goes through pauses, [then] where we get a lot of people [who] come in, and then there's a bit of nothing, and then we get another wave," says Jecmenica. 

Anyone with a device can drop it of at Purpose Society in New West, New West Public Library, and Century House. Jecmenica says the devices are wiped of information before anyone receives them. If a device needs a new battery or is missing a charger, they're often able to supply one for the recipient. 

While the program is highly dependent on donations of laptops and cell phones, there are other ways to help if you don't have any to donate. This includes cash donations, or donations of gift cards to places like Best Buy. 

As for what's next for the Digital Inclusion Project? It's part of another effort to install charging lockers at places like Purpose Society, Elizabeth Fry, the Union Gospel Mission, and the New West Public Library. 

Jecmenica says at least one of the lockers, set to be installed at the library, should be picked up by the end of this week. 

"It's like a locker for your phone to charge," she explains, adding that the user will be able to come up with a four-digit code to protect the device as its charging. "You can leave your phone to charge, come back to it, unlock [the locker], and then you have it fully charged, ready to go."

Jecmenica believes much of the locker installations will be done by the new year. 

If you want to learn more about the initiative, be sure to visit the project's page, where you can also sign up to visit the Digital Inclusion Hub.