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By 2 March 2010 | Categories: news

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Have you got what it takes to save the world? Described as “a ten-week crash course in changing the world,” Evoke is an online game with a difference. It requires non-virtual grinding for humanity and a little social networking, aimed specifically at Africans. 

The game launches tomorrow, 3 March 2010, and involves players tackling real-life social problems, like famine or pandemics. Your online slogging isn't in vain though, since up for grabs are prizes such as a travel bursary to Washington, D.C., and even seed capital to actually start a social venture.

The game will run for 10 weeks, requiring that players perform and document ten challenges to become a certified Evoke Social Innovator. The challenges aren’t for the faint of heart or unimaginative either; players will have to spend time to complete a challenge, then post documentary evidence, in the form of blog posts or video posts, of their efforts on the Evoke blog. This will be reviewed by other participants. (More after the video)

 

 

Evoke is specifically targeted at young Africans, with the goal of empowering them to solve the great problems of our day. Perhaps one of the challenges should be solving our connectivity issues– which are without doubt a large hurdle for successful participation in the game.
 
The lofty ideals of the game are the brain child of Jane McGonigal, with it being produced by the World Bank Institute, who put up $500 000 for the development of Evoke. McGonigal's ambitions to change the world extend beyond a single game, "My goal for the next decade is to try to make it as easy to save the world in real life as it is to save the world in online games," she says.
 
So if changing the world is on your to do list, here’s how.

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