New Zealanders are being asked to ferret out disused cellphones so they can be donated to budding entrepreneurs in the Philippines.
Vodafone NZ is launching a new partnership with a not-for-profit organisation, Enable Community, which takes old mobiles to the Philippines where they are refurbished.
They want to
collect more than 100,000 functional mobile phones a year to be handed on to aid small business development for people on the poverty line.
Russell Stanners, Vodafone chief executive, said a mobile for someone in the developing world was not a lifestyle accessory.
"It provides core communication, aiding financial independence and is helping many people move away from poverty."
Mr Stanners said Vodafone estimated there were currently over one million old mobiles in cupboards, drawers and glove-boxes in New Zealand.
The current collection rate was 40,000 mobiles per year and Vodafone wanted to raise that to at least 100,000.
"There are 600,000 micro-entrepreneurs in the Philippines alone who could use our help."
The mobiles which still worked were sent to the Philippines, and the mobiles which didn't work were recycled sustainably.
The functional mobiles had their covers and batteries replaced by people in the Philippines, which created employment, to make them as good as new before they were given to micro-entrepreneurs like Filipino woman Deomedita Sapasap. She had five children, ran a sewing business and used her mobile to keep in touch with clients and thereby increase her daily orders.
By running her own business she was able to save money to send her children to school.
Matthew Steine, founder of Enable Community, said three quarters of the world's population lived in mobile network coverage areas.
However, only about one-third had a mobile.
* Cellphones can be handed in at Vodafone, Noel Leeming and Bond&Bond stores or by freepost.
* For more information go to: www.vodafone.co.nz/recycling
