Free Education and Free Rice 

A winning combination

New Perspectives

by Bonnie MacDonald

(continued)

October brings much to celebrate - stunning fall colours, holiday time with family and friends, and the abundance of the fall harvest. With so much to celebrate at this time of year, even the cooler temperatures and wet days give us little reason to complain.

World Food Day, a day designated to raise awareness of the global hunger crisis, takes place on Oct. 16 this year. Despite the abundance that many enjoy in our area of the world, almost one-sixth of the world's population continue to suffer from hunger. From local food banks to much larger global charities, there are a number of organizations working hard to alleviate the problem, but they all need our help in order to be successful. Monetary gifts are always greatly appreciated, but if not possible, there are still other ways to lend a helping hand.

The "Free Rice" website at www.freerice.com  offers an alternative, fun and educational way to make a difference, and is an available avenue to anyone who has access to the Internet. The site hosts a wide range of vocabulary games encompassing math, art, geography, chemistry, English, French, German, Italian and Spanish, and has captured the enthusiasm of people around the globe. The games can be adjusted to an appropriate level of difficulty based on the age and experience of the player, so are appropriate for children and adults alike.

(next column)

10/10/2009 11:30 PM

With each question answered correctly on the Free Rice website, 10 grains of rice are donated to the United Nations World Food Program, the world's largest food aid agency, which then distributes the rice to the world's hungry. Although 10 grains of rice seems like a small amount, one has to keep in mind that thousands of people from around the world are playing the web game at the same time and as a result, the site has generated enough rice to feed well over two million people to date. Most of the rice is bought from local farmers in developing countries and paid for by sponsors who support both learning and poverty reduction. It's a win-win combination for all involved - free education for the players and free rice for the hungry.

The vocabulary games can easily become an entertaining part of a child's homework routine. Knowing that our children are our future problem solvers, it's a great way to engage them in an innovative solution to one of the world's largest challenges. Children are sure to feel empowered as they watch the rice bowl fill up with each correct answer and they can even click on a short video to watch the rice being distributed.

"Free Rice" has all the ingredients of positive change - awareness, generosity, global partnerships, and the desire to make a difference. In honour of World Food Day why not donate a few minutes to share the abundance of the season? But beware, the game comes with a warning: "This game may make you smarter!"