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Video Game Teaches Kenyan Youth HIV-Safety

Posted by Soulskill on from the we-already-knew-video-games-slowed-spreading-of-stds dept.

QuackenDuck writes "The latest video-game headlines are all about virtual sex, violence, and taxes. Here's a story that turns the 'Think of the Children' battle-cry against games on its head. VOA News reports on how the video game medium is being used to educate Kenyan youths about risky behaviors that lead to HIV infection: 'Kenya has an HIV prevalence rate of about five percent, with young women among the most vulnerable to new infection. Now, the US government and a private entertainment company have teamed up to produce and distribute a video game that teaches Kenyan youth how to avoid contracting HIV, the virus that causes AIDS.' Many parts of the world are gritty, violent and dangerous, and this game designer is using gritty, violent and dangerous content to teach the children of Kenya."

8 of 75 comments (clear)

  1. Like oregon trail but... by gandhi_2 · · Score: 3, Funny

    ..."you died of aids."

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    THL phish sticks
    1. Re:Like oregon trail but... by ozphx · · Score: 5, Funny

      You have been buttraped by a Grue.

      The Grue had AIDS.

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      3laws: No freebies, no backsies, GTFO.
  2. Re:Help the poor heathens! by artor3 · · Score: 5, Insightful

    The people who protest sex ed in the US would likely want this program to be abstinence only. It's not, so they probably think it's horrible.

  3. It's the inconsistency.. by tjstork · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Why does this seem like something the same people protesting Sexual Education in our American schools

    The right wing tends to feel that sex education is more about promoting a sexual society than it is about safety, as, whenever the right suggests other things be taught in the same of safety, the left argues that such education is promotion. For example, you might think that we would have gun safety classes in a nation with 100 million guns, but the left wing has continually refused to let even -free- gun classes such as NRA'S Eagle program to be taught in public schools, because they say that teaching about guns promotes guns.

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    This is my sig.
    1. Re:It's the inconsistency.. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Insightful

      If humans were born with firearms equipped standard, the left would probably support proper training for children in their use.

      More seriously, I think the flaw in the right wing argument is the assumption that teenagers need any promoting to figure out they want to have sex and how to get around any restrictions in place to prevent it. On the other hand they might not figure out how to do it safely, or even recognize the need.

      I will also say that I don't think theres a problem with teaching children gun safety. Although I wouldn't want the NRA teaching my children anything.

  4. You see an African village... by Totenglocke · · Score: 3, Funny

    You are standing in front of an African village. >go north You are killed by AIDS.

    --
    "The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants." ~Thomas Jefferson
  5. since the average income for Kenya by atarione · · Score: 4, Insightful

    is about $1.32 a day... who exactly is going to have a computer to play this game ????

    or is the President of Kenya going to hold a LAN party ???

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  6. Re:Help the poor heathens! by Quothz · · Score: 3, Interesting

    Why does this seem like something the same people protesting Sexual Education in our American schools, to kids EXACTLY the same age, would support?

    Because... they did. This is funded largely by PEPFAR,* an organization legislated in '03 with strong bipartisan support, and signed into law by - that's right - Dubya Bush, who is a very vocal proponent of abstinence-only sex ed. Hee hee!

    PEPFAR notes that they distribute 2.2 billion condoms from 2004 to 2008. Alas, President Bush was unable to hand-sign them all, but he did sign for renewed (and increased) funding late in '08.

    *Okay, it's not clear how much of the bill PEPFAR's picking up. Warner Bros. appears to be footing the remainder. PEPFAR spends a lot, tho', overall; something over $9 billion a year at the moment.