Virginia teen, 14, launches tech initiative, distributes 2,000 refurbished devices and wins Diana Award

Chris Qian was only 14 when he founded ReTech for Kids, a nonprofit that collects, refurbishes, and redistributes second-hand technology to under-resourced students across the United States. Three years later, the initiative has mobilised more than 100 youth volunteers, helped distribute 2,000 refurbished devices, and earned Qian a $5,000 prize at the University of Vermont’s 2026 Vermont Pitch Challenge, according to the Diana Award Roll of Honour, UVM, and MIT Solve.Qian’s work began with a simple observation: many students do not have reliable access to a personal computer, while usable devices are often discarded or left unused. Rather than treating that as an unavoidable reality, he built a system that turns unwanted electronics into practical learning tools for young people who need them most. Read more about his work, as per the reports, here:The problem he sawReTech for Kids was created to address the digital divide, a gap that affects students who lack reliable access to devices, internet, or the skills needed to use them. According to the organisation’s MIT Solve profile, UNICEF estimates that about 1.3 billion children ages 3 to 18 worldwide do not have reliable access to personal devices.That gap has consequences beyond homework.