Oxfam, Turning Phones Into Chickens

There are some pretty talented magicians out there, but they’d be hard-pressed to beat the combined forces of not-for-profit Oxfam and phone recycler MobileMuster — their “Old phones, more chickens” campaign will see old mobiles converted into chickens for those living in poverty, at a rate of two-for-one.

No, there isn’t some bizarre chicken-making factory out there that runs on handsets. It’s part of Oxfam Unwrapped, an initiative that allows people to purchase animals, including goats, pigs and chickens and donate them to underprivileged communities. Right now, for every two phones MobileMuster is given to recycle, the company will buy a chicken from Oxfam Unwrapped.

It should be noted that they’re not sticking live chickens in an Express Post parcel and hoping for the best, as Oxfam itself explains:

Actually, we don’t mail goats [or other animals]. But all of these gifts are real items that we use to fight poverty. When you purchase an Unwrapped gift card, your tax-deductible donation will fund projects that your gift represents.” So buying an animal will see funds given to agricultural projects. Not quite as cool as sending someone livestock, but it’s a neat way of encouraging donations.

According to MobileMuster, almost all the parts in a phone can be recycled, but are not biodegradable. So, if you haven’t managed to sell your old mobile, maybe it’s time to turn it into a chicken. If you’re keen, you have until January 31 to get your devices in.

[MobileMuster]


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