Educational Games by Kids for Kids

A group of Brooklyn teens at South Shore High School with help from Global Kids (a non-profit group that strives to prepare urban youth to become global citizens and community leaders. ) and Gamelab have just developed and released Ayiti: The Cost of Life.

Ayiti is a role playing game that allows you to take responsibility for a family of five in rural Haiti. The player can experience the struggles of a family on the edge as they try to stay healthy, stay out of debt and become educated.

The game play is fairly simple and straight forward which coupled with the excellent graphics and solid thinking make this simulation one that kids at a variety of grade levels could enjoy and learn from. As an instructional tool it has excellent potential for initiating discussion and thinking about a variety of issues including human rights, poverty, and population issues. Very cool stuff. Apparently the groups next foray is to develop a Global Kids Island in Teen Second Life.