Becky Morrison never knew her love of African dance and a friend's old laptop would help change the world. Becky, 33, is a producer who works on big budget projects like the NFL's Sunday Night Football and Hollywood blockbuster movies. She's also a professional West African dancer. Over the years she's built a community of close friends in Guinea. During one of her trips, her friend Sekou Sano, the Ballet Merveilles's artistic director, made a request: Rather than bring t-shirts or other small gifts, he asked if Becky could bring a laptop. Shortly before her next trip to Guinea, Becky posted a request on Facebook for old laptops. Within minutes she had 10 responses. So Becky founded Globetops, an organization that refurbishes donated laptops and sends them to worthwhile applicants throughout the world. It was through Globetops that Becky discovered just how much an old laptop can change a life while at the same time, reducing the amount of E-waste that ends up in landfills. In addition to receiving the laptop, Globetops recipients receive a Golden Ticket" for training at a local "hub." The hubs offer a free course in basic computing skills, web browsing, setting up an e-mail address and Microsoft Office, and graduates receive a certificate upon completion of the course. Certificates are a big deal in Guinea, Becky says. And after a long happy life, when the laptop no longer works, the hub will arrange for responsible disposal. The hubs are also the center of Globetops' ambition to grow their footprint and introduce sustainable practices beyond just computers. Right now Becky is working to create a worldwide, grassroots infrastructure to move a wide variety of goods. "I'm starting at laptops but it could be cell phones or [even] shoes. We have enough stuff in the world," Becky says, "It's just not in the right places."
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