'Laptops for Ukraine' launches in Krakow

Refugees will receive devices worth a total of 1 million zlotys

Over 1200 laptops, worth more than 1 million Polish zlotys (over 215 thousand euros) will go to Ukrainian refugees for free, the City of Krakow reported today. The move follows the signing of a tripartite cooperation agreement between local authorities, a private company and an NGO, under the “Laptops for Ukraine” initiative.

A new stage in refugee integration in Krakow

A group of organisations based in Krakow launched a new initiative aimed to support refugees from Ukraine. In particular, the campaign targets those who need to study remotely and did not get the chance to bring the necessary equipment on their escape route to Poland.

The effort involves the City of Krakow, several local organisations and the business, with the latter donating functioning (but not necessarily new) laptops, to be used by refugees.

To facilitate the process of donating equipment, Krakow joined the tripartite cooperation agreement with Shell Polska and INTERCULTURALNI.pl association. It is generally expected that the business actors will provide the laptops, but in fact, any company can donate. To do so, they only need to visit the respective website - laptopydlaukrainy.pl.

On the other hand, the charity will be the contractor and will distribute the laptops to those who need them. According to Paulina Poniewska, coordinator of the campaign from INTERCULTURALNI, quoted on the city website, the formal involvement of the local authority is essential as it will allow the donations to be made with 0% VAT.

“Knowing that mainly refugees with children come to Poland, we realize that these over 1,200 laptops will help several thousand people. Mothers are already turning to us and they are happy that their children will be able to learn remotely. I would like to thank the city for finalizing this agreement,” she concluded.

Mayor Jacek Majchrowski at the signing of the agreement underlined that as the initial moments of the war have passed and basic assistance like housing and food is provided, the community needed to ensure that those Ukrainians who stayed in the city can function normally in society. Thus the initiative was born.