In loving memory of Marie Blak · 2005 – 2024
A computer changed
how Marie saw the world.
Now it's how we honor her.
The Marie Blak Foundation places computers, skills, and mentorship into the hands of children who have the mind for technology but not the means — because a girl who fell in love with computer science never stopped believing every child deserves that same chance.
January 5, 2005 – July 28, 2024
Her Story
Marie Blak
Marie was a computer science student who saw code the way other people see language — as a way to build something out of nothing, and to hand that something to someone else. Long before her studies formalized it, she was the one who fixed a neighbor's laptop, taught a cousin to type, or sat a friend down in front of a keyboard for the first time.
She talked often about how much of the world is sorted into those who get to use a computer and those who don't — and how much of that sorting has nothing to do with ability, and everything to do with access. She wanted to spend her career closing that gap.
The Marie Blak Foundation was founded by her family to carry that work forward in her name: putting computers, training, and mentorship into the hands of children who have the curiosity and the capability, but not yet the access.
Our Mission
Empowering underserved children through access to computers
We believe that talent is universal, but opportunity is not. A child in a village classroom can be every bit as capable as a child in a city with a computer on every desk — the only difference is whether anyone ever hands them the tool. Our work exists to close that distance, one donated computer, one training session, one mentored student at a time.
The Problem
Access decides more than ability ever will
Across many of the communities we work in, an entire classroom may share a single working computer, if there is one at all. Students who could thrive in technology, medicine, engineering, or business never get the chance to find that out — not because they lack the mind for it, but because no one ever put the tool in front of them. That gap compounds year after year: a child with no early exposure to a keyboard falls further behind a child who has had one since primary school, through no fault of their own.
Our Belief
A single computer can redirect a life
Marie's own path started with ordinary access to a machine most people take for granted. That access turned into curiosity, then skill, then a course of study, then a sense of purpose. We don't think that path is rare — we think it's common, and mostly untaken, simply because the first step is missing for so many children. Give a capable child a working computer and someone to show them what it can do, and what happens next is largely up to them.
Computer Donations
We collect, refurbish, and deliver working laptops and desktops to schools, libraries, and community centers in underserved areas — turning idle hardware into a child's first computer.
Digital Literacy Training
Hands-on workshops that take students from their first click to real confidence — typing, navigating, research skills, and an introduction to how software is actually built.
Scholarships & Mentorship
For students who want to go further, we offer scholarship support toward computer science and STEM study, paired with mentors already working in tech.
How We Work
From a donated laptop to a changed classroom
Handing over a computer is only the beginning. Here's what actually happens behind that moment.
We collect & refurbish
Used laptops and desktops are donated by individuals, schools, and companies, then wiped, repaired, and stress-tested so every machine we place actually works on day one.
We partner with local schools
We work directly with teachers and school administrators to understand where the need is greatest, rather than shipping computers to wherever is easiest to reach.
We teach, not just deliver
Every placement comes with a digital literacy workshop, so students and teachers alike know how to actually use what they've been given, not just store it in a locked cabinet.
We stay involved
Our team checks back in with partner schools, troubleshoots hardware issues, and identifies standout students who may be ready for scholarship or mentorship support.
Who We Serve
Children who have the drive but not the doorway
We focus on primary and secondary school students in low-income and rural communities — the students most likely to be written off simply because technology has never been within reach. We also support out-of-school youth looking to build practical digital skills for employment, and standout students ready to pursue computer science or a related STEM field at the university level.
We work through schools, community centers, and local youth organizations rather than individuals directly, so that every computer we place benefits a classroom, a library, or a program — not just one household.
Get Involved
Help us finish the work Marie started
Every laptop, every shilling, every hour of mentorship moves a child a little closer to a future they couldn't have reached otherwise.