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Link: http://gamesforchange.org
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Global issues can be a daunting subject to teach and an even harder subject for students to understand and connect to. The website Games for Change (G4C) “ is a nonprofit which seeks to harness the  extraordinary power of video games to address the most pressing issues of our day, including poverty, education, human rights, global conflict and climate change. G4C acts as a voice for the transformative power of games, bringing together organizations and individuals from the nonprofit sector, government, journalism, academia, industry and the arts, to grow the sector and provide a platform for the exchange of ideas and resources. Through this work, Games for Change promotes new kinds of games that engage contemporary social issues in meaningful ways to foster a more just, equitable and tolerant society.” The games found on this website put you in the shoes of those directly affected by the issues the world is facing and gives you the opportunity to solve some of these problems.

For example, “Ayiti: The Cost of Life” is a game found under the poverty category. “This game challenges its players to manage a rural family of five in Haiti over four years and keep them healthy, get them educated, and help them survive.” While playing this game, students will have to plan how to provide for and educate their family with very limited income. Periodically, both good and bad surprises will happen, just like in the real world, which may help or hinder them in reaching their goal.

“Darfur is Dying” is another game that is found in the human rights category. “This game is a web-based, viral video game that provides a window into the experience of the 2.5 million refugees in the Darfur region of Sudan.” The game begins by asking you to select a character. Each character has a different age and gender. The goal is to forage for water and bring it back to your camp. While the player believes their success depends on their ability to make it to the well and back, they come to find out that it depends on the age and gender of the character they chose at the beginning.

To access the games, go to the website below. If you click on any of the topic links in the Game Channels box at the right of the page, you’ll be taken to a large link list to games in the social sciences. Topics include: Human Rights, Economics, Public Safety, Public Health, Poverty, Environment, Global Conflict, News, and Politics.

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