Kenya-based Momentum Core has released a malaria awareness game, Mosquito Hood, with the aim of educating the population and reducing malaria deaths in the region.
Supported by the Malaria Control Department (MCD) of the Kenyan Ministry of Health and other NGOs, for every player that completes five levels, Momentum Core has undertaken to donate one real insecticide-treatment mosquito-repellant bednet, to be distributed to African families living in malaria infected regions.
Mosquito Hood provides a game during which players must kill enough mosquitos to earn mosquito-repellant treated bednets and progress to the next level.
The game also encompasses vital information about the malaria disease.
“Online games are a lot of fun, you’re not usually saving real lives when you play most of them. Our new game, Mosquito Hood, is an exception to that!” said Allan Mukhwana, chief executive officer of Momentum Core.
“At Momentum Core, we aim at ensuring that every player will be to motivated, educated, and inspired to help end preventable malaria deaths by learning a thing or two after playing Mosquito Hood. Furthermore, we aim help fight malaria through distribution of insecticidal bed nets that can provide protection to a family and last up to five years.”
In addition to bednets being distributed to families, the MCD and NGOs will also ensure the families receiving the nets are provided with education and information about malaria prevention, as well as training on how to effectively use the bednets.
Meanwhile, Momentum Core is also working on producing an offline version of the game for primary and secondary schools as well as youth groups with computer access, so as to reach out and engage youth in African societies and educate them with respect to malaria prevention.
