Computers for Pathway Students in Africa

“Never Let a Problem to Be Solved Become More Important Than a Person to Be Loved,” is the lifelong philosophy of President Thomas S. Monson of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Unforeseen problems were abundant when The Lord’s Hands was organized in 2020.

No computers.

No money to purchase computers.

No established criteria for selected Awardees.

No organized address for any Awardees.

However, we had an abundance of love for the many African Pathway students who were attempting to do university work on poor computers. From awarding 13 computers in January 2021 to awarding 1500 in January 2025, The Lord’s Hands has solved countless problems,while fulfilling our goal to provide computers to outstanding students.

We will deliver at least 5000 in 2025!

How to acquire affordable computers? In the beginning, computers were sourced locally in DRC. After the first three months, it was apparent that this would not be sufficient. Fortunately, a wonderful computer refurbishing charity was located in Utah that was adequate until our need increased exponentially in 2025. Our amazing African Board members solved this problem by finding a new computer source in Dubai. The cost of importing computers from Utah and Dubai is much less than buying in Africa!

How to raise money to purchase computers? Becoming part of the GlobalGiving community provided a means to raise many thousands of dollars from charitable donors like YOU! As The Lord’s Hands became recognized internationally, more funds have been donated. Thank you!

How to deliver computers to students in 31 countries which collect large custom fees to cross borders and NO postal system? No Amazon. No UPS. No Fed Express. Due to excessive local custom charges and corruption, American companies cannot deliver to most African countries. Our amazing African Board members solved this problem. Major deliveries are made to Nairobi, Kenya, and to Nigeria. Then a powerful system of known friends and religious leaders take the computers to trusted friends in 31 different African countries. Known as our Trusted Contacts, they sacrifice time and means to personally deliver computers to hundreds of outstanding students without any postal system, and not allowing a problem to become more important than helping an individual student.

How to select outstanding students from almost 3000 applications? As The Lord’s Hands’ reputation for awarding excellent computers has skyrocketed, so have the number of students applying during each competitive campaign. This creates a wonderful problem. There is no way we can evaluate over 2500 individual essays and videos! BYU-Pathway Worldwide now assists with checking student GPAs, helping The Lord’s Hands find outstanding students.

How to prevent second computers being awarded to individual students? A complete record of past recipients has been created.

How to fairly award computers to English students from higher quality school systems versus non-English speaking students from poorer school systems? Computers are awarded to various countries based upon their percentage of the total number of computers available for each campaign.

How to award 5000 computers during 2025? A beautiful problem merits a beautiful solution! Using the wonderful people from both African and American Boards, our Trusted Contacts, and YOU---our amazing donors, The Lord’s Hands will continue to support the growing number of BYU-Pathway students in Africa.

“To love another person is to see the face of God.” Victor Hugo

“To bless another person is do the will of God.” J. Cook

Each of you has blessed another person with your donation to The Lord’s Hands for computers to outstanding African Pathway students.

From our very humble beginning with just a few computers awarded in Winter 2020, you helped The Lord’s Hands purchase and deliver 1013 computers by the end of 2023!

In 2024 alone, with your help and other very generous donors, 1823 computers were awarded, altogether changing the lives of 2836 students forever!

Today, March 2025, 1000 MORE computers have been awarded and DELIVERED to 31 African countries. 31 countries, ranging from Leshoto to Liberia, Eswatini to Kenya, from Nambia to Nigeria, Guinea to Ghana, from Burindi to Botswand, Swaziland to South Africa. The names of many of the 31 countries may be unfamiliar, but the 3836 students have the same desires of each of us: To have the opportunity to make a better life for themselves, their families, and their communities.

We don’t have the opportunity to know and love these 3836 industrious Pathway students face-to-face, but through your donations to The Lord’s Hands, YOU have joined in the crusade and have blessed their lives, enabling them to complete BYU-Pathway Worldwide and move forward with university courses at BYU-I and Ensign College.

As sung in Les Mis, “Do you hear the people sing. . . .It is the music of the people who are climbing to the light. . . .They will live again in freedom. . . .Their chain will be broken and all men will have their reward.”

YOU have joined in the crusade to break the chain of poverty, the crusade to make higher education possible, the crusade to enable 3900 industrious Pathway students to climb to the light of education. Thanks to you, the chain is being broken and more Pathway students will earn their reward.