The lack of a smart device puts a child in an outsider position

DNA's charity campaign aimed to prevent digital inequality between children and young people

Every child in Finland should have equal opportunities to be part of the digital world. The importance of communication devices is particularly emphasised when children keep in touch with their friends, hobby groups or, say, the discussion group of their own class. Without a smart device, such participation is not possible.

A child's or a young person’s own dreams of continuing education, for example, should not have anything to do with whether or not they have a computer of their own. We believe that every child and young person in Finland should have equal opportunities to dream about an education and future suitable for them.

An old device became a helping phone

In the summer of 2018, we asked parents of children aged 6 to 16 years about digital equality. According to the survey, almost half of the respondents have noticed that if a child does not have a smart device, it puts the child in an outsider position in their circle of friends. This gave us the idea of a charity campaign to collect old forgotten phones lying in drawers in order to do good.

"Finns buy about two million new phones each year. Most of us have an old phone that is no longer in use. Now these old phones brought genuine good!”

During our campaign between 27 November and 7 December 2018, we collected old phones in all our stores around Finland. For each phone collected and left for recycling during the campaign period, we donated 10 euros in full for device and subscription purchases for children and young people of the SOS Children's Village. We also take care of the environmentally friendly and secure recycling of the old phones. With the donated funds, the SOS Children's Village will buy computers, smartphones or tablets for the children and young people covered by their own services.