From finding a nearby restaurant to shooting cartoon birds out of slingshots in the name of vengeance against an evil pig empire, there’s an app for everything. Smartphones have infiltrated society and developers around the world are constantly designing new applications, or “apps” to help us find information, play games, purchase products; basically do whatever we want with little more effort than swiping a finger. According to Business Insider and ABI Research, there will be 1.4 billion smartphones in use by the end of 2013. One in every five people in the world will have access to mobile apps in the very near future, and USAID wants to be part of the action.
In an effort to promote continued transparency, USAID has launched DEC Evaluations, a mobile app that allows users to access the Development Experience Clearninghouse (DEC), or USAID’s online document archive. They’ve also released Portfolio Map, an app that serves as a window into USAID’s development efforts. These reference apps appeal to those interested in development, but what about smartphone users who haven’t paid much attention to current development efforts?
The most successful mobile app to date is Angry Birds, the premise of which is simple; pigs steal birds’ eggs, birds’ get angry, users slingshot birds into structures built by pigs to retaliate and recover stolen eggs. If you’ve never played, the previous statement makes no sense to you at all. But if you have played, you know how addictive smashing pigs’ buildings can be, and you’ve probably spent hours doing just that.
Since the most successful app to date is a game, USAID needed to incorporate games into its mobile app arsenal; so in 2012 it launched three of them:
- FAMILY CHOICES. This game teaches young girls the consequences of important life decisions. Will Anu (India) or Mercy (Kenya) continue their education or will they marry young and start a family? Players learn how such choices can influence Anu or Mercy’s chances of becoming the financially independent nurses they hope to be.
- 9-MINUTES. 9 months of pregnancy are condensed into 9 minutes in this game designed to teach players how to manage a healthy pregnancy. Players race the clock to answer physical, medical, and social questions, the results of which will determine the health of mother and baby.
- WORM ATTACK! The goal of Worm Attack! is for young players to defeat the evil intestinal worms inside their stomachs through the strategic use of de-worming pills. Fun and educational, Worm Attack! teaches children valuable lessons about health and medical care.
USAID realized that having their message at the fingertips of so many people could tremendously increase awareness and support for developmental efforts. They also recognized that packaging their message in a fun game format would increase their potential audience. All five USAID mobile apps can be downloaded through in-country app stores or by sending an email to contact@gamesforchange.org. Support USAID’s development efforts while having fun and learning about important global issues by downloading your app today!
– Dana Johnson
Sources: USAID, USAID News, Business Insider
Photo: iMedicalApps