“Every minute eight people are forced to flee war, persecution or terror. If conflict threatened your family, what would you do if each choice you have to make could be a matter of life or death?”
That’s the question every refugee faces, and now, you can experience the life as a refugee, with a new smartphone application.
Developed by United Nations High Commission for Refugees’ (UNHCR), the app is based on real life experiences of refugees.
Aptly titled “My Life As a Refugee”, the app lets players face a series of tough decisions and chance events in this life-like quest of survival.
The smartphone application allows users to live the life of a refugee and encounter typical every day decisions with potentially devastating results, says a statement issued by ACW who developed the app.
“It hopes to make a real difference by raising awareness surrounding the inhumane conditions that refugees have to suffer.
“The three stories within this free app are based on the real-life experiences of families torn apart by conflict or persecution.”
The role-play revolves around three main characters who have been forced to flee. Months or years of narrative are compressed into each of the stories.
Players have to make decisions along the way in order to reach safety.
The events and outcome of each story depend on the decisions that the player makes, resulting in a potentially different experience every time.
Built for iOS and Android, the app can be downloaded on iPhones, iPads and Android phones.
The app contains three real-life situations:
• Would you ever pay a smuggler to help you escape?
• Imagine the terror of being caught by the army you were escaping from?
• What lengths would you go to be reunited with your family?
“Future updates will introduce new characters and scenarios, engaging audiences around other dimensions of the refugee experience,” says the developer.
While the initial version is in English, the game will be rolled out in other languages over the coming months.
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