During 2005 Computers 4 Africa became independent and in November of the same year discovered that B&Q had selected Aseri Katanga (‘AK’ as he is known) from among their 37,000 staff to be their ‘Hero of the Year’ for 2006.
Aseri was born in 1958 in Ishozi village, near a town called Bukoba, on the shores of Lake Victoria in North Western Tanzania. His father was a local teacher and wanted the best for his young son. He finished his O levels and was sent alone to the UK to study A levels at Dacorum College in Hemel Hempstead, where he stayed in student accommodation. Continuing his studies in the UK, Aseri obtained a Higher National Diploma in Business Studies at Newlands Park College in Buckinghamshire and a degree in Economics at Kingston University. Aseri started his career with B&Q Plc in 1987 as a General Assistant, working his way up through the ranks to become a Business Accounts Manager at the Slough branch.
In his personal time, Aseri has helped to equip 26 schools in Tanzania with IT equipment and training. The B&Q Hero Award allowed Aseri to take one year off work with full pay to go to Tanzania and continue his project. It was during this year that Computers 4 Africa supported Aseri by using empty B&Q retail warehouses at Alperton, Mitcham and Ipswich to appeal to residents and local businesses to donate their unused IT equipment. Aseri is now Computer 4 Africa’s Chairman of the Board of Trustees and in ultimate control of the charity.
To date, Computers 4 Africa, has sent over than 6000 PC’s to countries across Africa. From an initial focus on schools the spectrum of projects which have been supported has grown massively, libraries, clinics, universities and numerous other project have all been assisted with IT equipment. Check out our news stories to find out about some of the ways IT has been impacting communities in Africa.
