Eugène Kersjes, general manager of Nashuatec's Remarketing division, who was involved from the start, tells P+: "We wanted to do something that had to do with our core business, which is the reconditioning of returned machines. After consulting the Dutch ambassador for Aghanistan and UN institutions in Kabul we decided to donate one hundred photocopiers for schools and universities." This was easier said than done, since the recipients had to be carefully selected, transport was a problem, and some kind of structure had to be arranged for to maintain the machines and supply spare parts, toners and paper. The selection of schools was put in the hands of the UN and the Afghan Ministry of Education. The Dutch Ministry of Defense, having troops deployed in Afghanistan, was willing to fly the copiers in for free. And the matter of maintenance was solved by a Pakistani dealer who was prepared to open an office in Kabul. Nashuatec trained his four Afghan employees, and will pay for maintenance. A year after the project was initiated, one hundred copiers plus paper and toners were flown in. Kersjes: "You cannot believe how much this is appreciated in Afghanistan. Mohammed Wasseli and I visited Afghanistan recently to find out, through some surprise inspections, whether the machines were still used and well functioning. Not only did we find everything in a perfect state, we were also struck by the gratitude of the schools. They are now able to multiply textbooks for pupils, and their administration has become much simpler. So, we decided to send another load of one hundred machines and 3.5 million sheets of paper. Again the Dutch Ministry of Defense will take care of free transportation. And the Pakistani dealer in Kabul will be able to hire extra personnel." And what is in it for Nashuatec? Kersjes: "Nothing in terms of profit. We do not even have a branch in Afghanistan. It is a matter of charity, and an expression of our commitment with our employees." P+ Webtip: Nashuatec