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FreeRice

Region

Global

Programme Summary

This vocabulary-based web initiative is designed to improve literacy and raise awareness about hunger around the world - while raising funds to feed those who are starving. For each word that the visitor to the website gets correct as he or she plays the game, 20 grains of rice are donated through the United Nations (UN) World Food Program.

Communication Strategies

This information and communication (ICT)-based project uses an edutainment strategy to provide what is intended to be a fun English vocabulary "lesson" while informing people about (and raising money to address) a development issue: hunger. FreeRice has a custom database containing thousands of words at varying degrees of difficulty; there are words appropriate for people just learning English and words that are very obscure/infrequently used. The visitor to the FreeRice website begins by seeing a word, with 4 options. If the player guesses the word's meaning incorrectly, he or she sees the word's correct meaning - and then moves to an easier level. If the player gets 3 words in a row right, the next level is more challenging. Organisers say, "This one-to-three ratio is best for keeping you at the 'outer fringe' of your vocabulary, where learning can take place."

FreeRice also uses the internet to raise awareness and funds, and to spark action. Links and other resources offered on the site are designed to educate people about hunger, as well as to suggest ways to help - such as by clicking on a link to print a letter to advocate for individual countries' participation in the UN's push to end world hunger.

Development Issues

Hunger, Literacy.

Key Points

FreeRice is a sister site of the world poverty site, Poverty.com, which was created by a private individual living in the United States. Click here to learn about how various countries in the world are doing in terms of donating money to meet Millennium Development Goal #1 (fight hunger and poverty).

Contact

FreeRice

Jennifer Parmelee
Spokesperson
World Food Programme (WFP)
United States
Tel: 202 653 0010
Fax: 202 422 3383

Jennifer Mizgata
World Food Programme (WFP)
United States

Chris Endean
Web Editor
World Food Programme (WFP)
Italy
Tel: 39 06 65132108

Bettina Luescher
Spokesperson
World Food Programme (WFP)
United States
Tel: 212 963 5196

Source

FreeRice website; and email from Jennifer Parmelee to The Communication Initiative on March 12 2008.


Placed on the Communication Initiative site March 12 2008
Last Updated March 12 2008

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