SOCIAL. Very soon, the Bois-l’Abbesse hopes to launch a new activity in its current premises: digital reuse. The objective is to recover old computer equipment to put it back into operation and then resell it to people and corporations who need it.
Last October, the ironing workshop at Bois-l’Abbesse was deserted, emptied. Management of brand new premises on the road to Bar-le-Duc, and development of the activity in the form of a laundry. A first step which will see others until the start of the school year in September (read the JHM of February 11). However, there is no question of abandoning the current premises of the association, at the very end of Chemin de l’Argente-Ligne.
Friday, February 11, a visit to the premises (current and future) was organized in connection with the 18th anniversary of the law of February 11, 2005, for equal rights and opportunities. The opportunity to discover the many activities and some work in progress. In this case, in the former ironing workshop, which will very soon have a second life: “As quickly as possible, we are going to set up our digital reuse activity there”, impatiently stamps Thomas Comptdaer, director of resources at the Bois-l’Abbess.
Speed
It all started with a simple question a few months ago: “How to reuse computer hardware rather than hammering the hard drive?” asks Thomas Comptdaer. The question arises legitimately; following several searches, “the only points found were in the Vosges and the agglomeration of Reims”, continues the director of resources.
The workshop and integration sites service (ACI) is leading the project and responds to a call for applications from the Territorial Economic Cooperation Center (PCTE), whose positive response falls in November 2022. “The implementation was very fast, in less than six months”, underlines Marie-Jeanne Noël, president of Bois-l’Abbesse, enthusiastic regarding the dynamism of the ACI team.
Implementation
Concretely, this social and ecological project results in the collection of “laptop or desktop computers, keyboards, screens… The goal is to see what is wrong to restore them to working order”, explains Thomas Comptdaer. Once operational, the idea is to resell them at low prices to communities and families who do not necessarily have the means and/or are victims of the digital divide. In this sense, the Communal Center for Social Action (CCAS) will be able to play its part by prescribing this solution to the families it accompanies. “There is also something to do with the two digital advisors of the Agglo”, suggests Virginia Clausse, president of the CCAS.
To collect this computer equipment, no problem: “Thanks in particular to our historical partners, we are able to collect across the entire department, and also the south of the Meuse”, adds Philippe Bossois, general manager of Bois-l’Abbesse. Like the DSI of the Saint-Dizier Der and Blaise Agglomeration (information systems department). The result is already convincing, since 20 m3 materials were recovered.
If no date has been officially advanced, the workshop might be completed by early spring. Once it is finished, a new one can therefore start, but for an indefinite period.
Louis Vanthornout
