Circus Computer, was founded by Sene Mouhamed, Ali Moussalli and Samba Samb, in 2016. The firm also holds workshops in rural areas across the country as part of an effort to introduce youngsters to I.T. and help them develop computer skills.
“We carry out workshops on digital education in conjunction with associations in rural areas. We show them how to use computers, how to build computers and tell them about all of the different parts involved in the setup,” Mouhamed said.
However, the company’s main focus is salvaging parts from disused computers, plastic and wood materials to create refurbished, budget-friendly PCs for Morocco’s youth. “We do two types of products, first we create computers from electronic waste and recycled plastic and secondly we use components from electronic waste and a case built from wood.” he added.
The products are then sold for under $100 in a bid to make them affordable for disadvantaged people in the community. Speaking about the positives of the project, Mouhamed said: “The first benefit is to reduce the impact of waste on our environment. Secondly, the scheme helps to bridge the digital divide in our society.”
The digital divide refers to the the gulf between those who have ready access to computers and the Internet, and those who do not. While the scheme is currently going from strength-to-strength, Mouhamed says that the company has some big plans for 2019 and beyond.
“We collected around 1,000 old computers from a bank here in Morocco and now for the rest of this year we will run two workshops per month, setting up computer rooms in schools across Morocco.” Mouhamed said.
Meanwhile, the big-hearted entrepreneur also intends to expand the project to other areas in West Africa in the months ahead.
“We re currently just covering Morocco but we hope to bring the project to Senegal and Cote D’Ivoire in 2020. I’m originally Senegalese but living in Casablanca, so it will be very easy for me to take the project there,” he said.
Regardless, of what the future holds for Circus Computer, Mouhamed is certain about the objectives he and his colleagues hope to achieve.
“The best thing about our project is that we give technical knowledge to African youth so that we can prepare tomorrow‘s Africa technology landscape. We hope that this will be a landscape rich with ideas and solutions to rival ecosystems anywhere else in the world,” he added.
Follow Circus Computer on Facebook.
