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Hardware donation program

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This is an archived version of this page, as edited by Doc James (talk | contribs) at 15:49, 4 August 2026 (→Decision-making). It may differ significantly from the current version.

Abstract

MDWiki laptops as of Aug 2026: 10
Next distributions:
Language Diversity Conference

This page describes a combined hardware donation program, operated by Wikimedia Germany and Wiki Project Med Foundation. Previously they were two separate programs; however, to simplify things for applicants they were merged in August 2026.

Prior to July 2025 one of the programs was run by the Wikimedia Foundation. They, however, stopped until further notice, due to changes in the Foundation's IT practices, and the work was taken on by Wiki Project Med.

About the program

Below are a set of distribution criteria and process for this program. This page describes who can receive donated laptops, and how.

Organizations

Wiki Project Med

We have secured used laptops for Wikimedia volunteers via low cost distributors. Partners include:

Both offer used machines at about 50 USD/30 pounds each to NGOs. Instructions on how Wikimedians can apply are below.

Wikimedia Deutschland

WMDE periodically upgrades its hardware assets and is interested in donating hardware, still in good condition and usable for another few years, to volunteer communities to help support our mission. The donated laptop is provided with a Ubuntu Linux installation and a Type F power plug.

Criteria

Requirements

To request a laptop, applicants must satisfy the following criteria:

  • Applicants must have at least one year of meaningful contributions to the Wikimedia movement as an editor, researcher, tool or software developer, or trainer/organizer
  • Applicants must demonstrate a legitimate need for the hardware and show that it will be used to support their activity within the Wikimedia movement.
  • Applicant cannot be a citizen of Iran, or appear in the United States Treasury's blacklist ("Specially Designated Nationals"). This is unfortunately imposed on Wiki Project Med Foundation as a United States non-profit, and is not an internal decision.

Additional considerations

The following considerations will increase (but not guarantee) the likelihood of a laptop:

  • Applicants have a history of working on health content (Wiki Med)
  • Applicants have a history of working on Wikidata (WMDE)
  • Applicants from low-income countries. No individual proof of income is required or considered.
  • Applicants able to demonstrate accountable group ownership of hardware, e.g. a Wikimedia affiliate with adequate, public, and explicit procedures for determining allocation of hardware within the group.
  • Applicants with a successful record of putting Wikimedia Movement resources (e.g. grants, scholarships) to impactful use.

Process

Applying

To apply for a laptop, type your username in the edit box below and click the "Apply for laptop" button. Then fill out the on-wiki form:


Your request may be endorsed by other volunteers, and feedback may be posted on the request talk pages. However, endorsements or lack thereof do not guarantee the fulfillment of a request.

If the inputbox below doesn't work for you, create a page manually named Hardware donation program/YOUR_USERNAME (with your own user name instead of "YOUR_USERNAME"), and paste into it the contents of this page.

Decision-making

  • Members of Wiki Project Med (currently James Heilman) or WMDE staff (currently Mohammed and Alan) with Ruky Wunpini providing community support, reviews requests as time permits, and makes decisions.
  • If your request is approved, you will be notified and provided with instructions on how to receive the laptop.
  • In case of doubt, additional information may be requested by WMDE or Wiki Project Med staff and your application would be reevaluated in the next evaluation cycle.
  • If your request is rejected, you may not appeal the decision, but can reapply after 1 year.

Overall, the decision-making process may take time due to the limited capacity of the program.

Delivery

Once the agreement email is confirmed, arrangements will be made with the applicant over a private channel on how to deliver the equipment.

  • To keep costs down, equipment will most often be delivered as opportunity permits by Wikip/media volunteers agreeing to serve as couriers and carry the equipment with them on a trip where they would meet the applicants (e.g. Wikimania, Wikimedia Conference, regional conferences), or their compatriots (if they'd agree to deliver the equipment to the applicants by prior arrangement).
  • shipping laptops is not being considered at this point in time.
  • the courier would only bring the equipment to a meeting if the applicant (or delegate of theirs) is known to be attending, i.e. has secured a visa and has a booked flight ticket.
  • All this means that it is entirely possible very deserving requests will not be fulfilled because it would be prohibitively expensive to get the equipment physically delivered.

Completion

Upon delivery of the equipment, applicants would confirm receipt of the equipment publicly, on the wiki page of the request. Once confirmed, the donation is considered effected, and closed. Recipients of donated laptops are 'encouraged, but not required, to record the use the hardware is put to, on the request page, or in blogs or social media posts, linked from the request page.

Such documentation can be motivating for other volunteers to request hardware, and for volunteers and movement organizations to continue putting in the work to prepare and provide this hardware.

Current requests

Admin

See also

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