‘Safety Cricket’ teaches sex-ed on cellphones
A few days ago I blogged about cellphone games emerging as a very promising (if somewhat expensive) tool of public diplomacy and advocacy. The most recent example is a new project called “Copenhagen Challenge” – a cellphone game funded by the Danish government to educate Indian school children about climate change. The game write-up ...
A few days ago I blogged about cellphone games emerging as a very promising (if somewhat expensive) tool of public diplomacy and advocacy. The most recent example is a new project called “Copenhagen Challenge” – a cellphone game funded by the Danish government to educate Indian school children about climate change. The game write-up – rescuing Dr.Kumar from the clutches of the Indian Sopranos by answering questions about climate change – sounds like fun:
You have been assigned the task to rescue Dr. Kumar. Can you help Dr. Kumar get back his valuable research and escape him from the clutches of the dreaded mafia? To accomplish your mission, you need to collect various objects that will help in Dr. Kumar’s escape. In this process, you also need to answer questions related to climate change, energy efficiency and greenhouse gases. Choose your answers correctly as each decision you make will directly affect your mission. A word of warning, if you choose too many incorrect answers, your mission will be unsuccessful and you will need to start the game again.
Doing research on ZMQ, the Indian software company behind “Copenhagen Challenge”, I stumbled upon another of their mobile games, this time on sex education (a subject which is still considered a taboo by many in the Indian society and is banned in some Indian schools). According to a recent piece on Voice of America, one of ZMQ’s most successful projects on this subject – Safety Cricket – has been downloaded by more than 10 million times. This seems like a pretty good success rate for a country with 350 million mobile phone users. The strong peg to cricket must make it especially exciting for Indian kids:
The game teaches young people about preventing HIV transmission while they indulge in India’s favorite sporting pastime. Offered in regional languages and in low-resolution form, the game praises high scorers for being faithful to their sexual partners. Protective cricket helmets are equated to condoms.
Photo by Ydhsu/Flickr
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