A Kenyan-developed game with the aim of raising awareness about HIV and AIDS is now live online.
“Pamoja Mtaani”, created by Kenyan game developers Momentum Core, is in a puzzle format, with players organising the jumbled puzzle pieces into a complete image which contains pertinent HIV-AIDS related information.
The game is the second in a series of health-related games created by Momentum Core, following “Mosquito Hood”, which raises awareness about malaria through a mosquito swatting game.
The company believes games are an effective way of addressing important health issues in African society.
“At Momentum Core we wish the game to be an effective way of influencing behavioural changes in young players who play the game from an early age. Education is more than reading, writing and arithmetic. An important component in any educational system should be health education,” Allan Mukhwana, chief executive officer (CEO) of Momentum Core told HumanIPO.
“Health education deals with influencing or changing attitudes and behaviour, with life skills. Such education is promoted by teachers’ unions at national level, but also requires international support and initiatives such as this game by Momentum Core. The educational system is the most important means of reaching young people to stop the spread of AIDS.”
Created in conjunction with award-winning NGO Kenya HIV Free Generation, the game surrounds the lives of five East African characters, with players completing puzzles at various levels featuring images about the five characters’ interaction with HIV-AIDS.
Players must either complete each puzzle within a certain time, or using only a certain number of moves. There is a leaderboard system ranking top scores and players.
“Our intention is also to reach as many young people as possible and make them aware of this disease,” Mukhwana said.
