Global Kids' Resources Relating to Situation in Haiti
Many of the staff here at Global Kids have been thinking about how to respond to the recent events in Haiti (e.g. some of our students spoke about it on the local news last night). As a diverse staff which includes many with connections to the country, as well as a student body with a considerable number from Haiti, this is something close to our hearts and will shape much of our work in the current period.
Global Kids has two resources from previous programs for those who, after donating funds, want to learn more. Both are games produced with Global Kids youth leaders in past years (more information here).
Ayiti: The Cost of Life
Ayiti, which is creole for Haiti, is a game in which the player manages a family of five in a rural town. The game doesn't provide any significant background content about Haiti, per say, but offers a simulation of how a life in poverty leaves people living too close to the edge, to which events this week can attest. It is designed to build understanding about the complex interplay of social forces that determine one's access to education and healthcare. Play Ayiti.
Hurricane Katrina: Tempest in Crescent City
Perhaps even more relevant is this game about the response by local heroes to Hurricane Katrina. While not about Haiti, it IS in fact about disaster readiness and the key things to track and support during a natural disaster (information from locals, access to clean food and water, etc.). Like Ayiti, it comes with educational material for use by educators. Play Tempest.
