SDG Digital Gamechanger Awards recognise our Digital Infrastructure Program at the United Nations Headquarters in New York

In September, we celebrate our 6th anniversary since our Founder & CEO, Jack Growden, donated his own personal laptop to a school in PNG, an act that sowed the seeds of LiteHaus International. Six years later, with 10,000 computers distributed, 211 digital labs installed, and more than 150,000 students impacted, we have been recognised for our Digital Infrastructure Program at the SDG Digital Gamechanger Awards at the United Nations Headquarters in New York.

LiteHaus exists to contribute to Goal #4 - Quality Education, ensuring inclusive and equitable quality education and promoting lifelong learning opportunities for all. These awards, commissioned by the International Telecommunication Union and UNDP, recognise initiatives mobilising digital solutions to tackle the SDGs. We were honoured to be named a Runner-Up from among 462 nominations from almost 100 countries.

Queensland Government Partnership to Provide 2,000 Regional Students with Laptops

Our Founder & CEO, Jack Growden, met with Minister Mark Bailey MP to announce landmark support in bridging the digital divide across Queensland. We are delighted to partner with the Queensland Government Customer & Digital Group to provide 2,000 regional and remote students with their own personal laptops as part of our Digital Inclusion Program and the Queensland Government's Digital Professional Workforce Action Plan. The project will focus on closing the gap for First Nations students across 60 communities experiencing device poverty. This year, we have provided over 2,000 students in Australia with a free laptop, and adding the Queensland government to our list of partners will definitely boost our efforts in tackling digital inequality across regional Queensland.

530 Laptops Delivered to First Nations Students in Cape York

Our team distributed 530 laptops to students across Cape York and the Torres Strait as part of our partnership with the Queensland Government. The digital divide reflects the broader inequality in Australia and cuts deeply across familiar socioeconomic lines. Many schools have reported device ownership rates of less than 15%. Our Digital Inclusion Program serves as a direct solution to this issue. Since 2020, we have distributed 4,400 quality laptops, positively impacting the lives of 7,700 students. This distribution marks the initial phase of our initiative with the Queensland Government, with a total of 2,000 devices scheduled for distribution across the state in the upcoming months.

Watch the video of our Cape York rollout.

18 Computer Labs Completed in Port Moresby

This month, our partners, Niunet, completed a rollout of 18 new computer labs in Port Moresby, bringing our total to 189 across Papua New Guinea. Each of these digital classrooms is equipped with the Niunet e-library, providing 6.3 million articles and a range of digital learning resources for free to over 100,000 students and teachers, thanks to the support of our remarkable partners, Niunet and the Sir Brian Bell Foundation.

Additionally, this month, we sent our last container for the year to PNG, packed with 938 computers that will benefit 60 schools across PNG, offering opportunities to up to 50,000 students.

1000 Computers To Pacific Schools in 2023

Our wider Pacific rollouts this year will provide 1,000 laptops to 70 schools across Fiji, Samoa, Tonga, and the Solomon Islands. These rollouts will commence throughout October and November, ensuring that students and educators have access to the tools they need to thrive in the digital age.

In Samoa, we will be delivering this project in partnership with E3 Samoa Trust and Code Avengers, who have been implementing an exceptional digital connectivity and training program across the country. We feel privileged to collaborate with such great partners in this remarkable part of the globe.

Brisbane Airport Donated 400 Laptops

Last month, we collected 400 laptops from Brisbane Airports Corporation. These devices will help us tackle digital inequality across Papua New Guinea and regional Australia. With this latest collection, we have repurposed over 10,000 devices since 2021. By repurposing e-waste, we are not only bridging the digital divide but have also prevented the release of 332 tons of atmospheric CO2 emissions since 2017. If you, your business, or your school have devices to dispose of, reach out and join us on our social and environmental missions.

Hear From Brisbane Airports Corporation

We're committed to closing the digital gap for First Nations Australians. More than 2,000 Indigenous people will benefit from our programs in 2023.