Online game that helps UN fight hunger gains one millionth user
Online game that helps UN fight hunger gains one millionth user
Freerice website
Freerice.com, the online game that allows players to improve their vocabulary while fighting global hunger by making donations to the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP), has crossed another milestone today as it reached one million registered players.
“When one million people each do their small part, the collective effect is beyond impressive – it’s extraordinary,” said Nancy Roman, WFP’s Director of Communications, Public Policy and Private Partnerships.
On Freerice.com, players face increasingly difficult vocabulary questions and for every correct answer, they earn 10 grains of rice, which is donated to WFP and paid for by sponsored banners on the site.
When one million people each do their small part, the collective effect is beyond impressive – it’s extraordinary.
The online game also allows players to choose from 45,000 questions in various subjects, including flags of the world and literature, and in six languages – English, French, Italian, Spanish, Chinese and Korean.
“Beyond the remarkable benefits for those most in need, this is a significant milestone for WFP in our mission to engage millions of people online in the fight against hunger,” Ms. Roman added.
The game reaches an estimated 1.3 million players per month and has raised almost 100 billion grains of rice, enough to feed five million people for a day in countries in need of food aid.
“One of the most exciting things about Freerice is its global appeal,” Ms. Roman continued. “Players from all over the world and from all walks of life are coming together to play for a cause.”
Originally launched in English in 2007, Freerice.com had within a month raised enough rice to feed over 50,000 people for a day. It was also named one of the best charity sites of 2011 by Netted, the online publication of the Webbys – an international award honouring excellence on the Internet.
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Infographic: The Freerice Phenomenon
04 January 2012
Since launching in 2007, Freerice has taken the web by storm. The hunger-fighting quiz game has more than one million registered players who have together raised enough rice to feed almost 5 million people. Here is an infographic showing the key facts and stats about the Freerice phenomenon.
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One million join online game to help UN fight hunger
Added on Jan 6, 2012 – Freerice.com, the online game that allows players to improve their vocabulary while fighting global hunger by making donations to the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP), has crossed another milestone today as it reached one million registered players.
“When one million people each do their small part, the collective effect is beyond impressive — it’s extraordinary,” said Nancy Roman, WFP’s Director of Communications, Public Policy and Private Partnerships.
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About United Nations World Food Programme (WFP)
Fighting hunger worldwide
The World Food Programme is the world’s largest humanitarian agency fighting hunger worldwide.
“In emergencies, we get food to where it is needed, saving the lives of victims of war, civil conflict and natural disasters. After the cause of an emergency has passed, we use food to help communities rebuild their shattered lives.”
WFP is part of the United Nations system and is voluntarily funded.
Born in 1961, WFP pursues a vision of the world in which every man, woman and child has access at all times to the food needed for an active and healthy life. We work towards that vision with our sister UN agencies in Rome — the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) — as well as other government, UN and NGO partners.
In 2011 we aim to reach more than 90 million people with food assistance in more than 70 countries. Around 10,000 people work for the organization, most of them in remote areas, directly serving the hungry poor.
WFP’s five objectives:
- Save lives and protect livelihoods in emergencies
- Prepare for emergencies
- Restore and rebuild lives after emergencies
- Reduce chronic hunger and undernutrition everywhere
- Strengthen the capacity of countries to reduce hunger
WFP’s Mission statement
WFP is the food aid arm of the United Nations system. Food aid is one of the many instruments that can help to promote food security, which is defined as access of all people at all times to the food needed for an active and healthy life. ¹ The policies governing the use of World Food Programme food aid must be oriented towards the objective of eradicating hunger and poverty. The ultimate objective of food aid should be the elimination of the need for food aid.
Targeted interventions are needed to help to improve the lives of the poorest people – people who, either permanently or during crisis periods, are unable to produce enough food or do not have the resources to otherwise obtain the food that they and their households require for active and healthy lives.
Consistent with its mandate, which also reflects the principle of universality, WFP will continue to:
- use food aid to support economic and social development;
- meet refugee and other emergency food needs, and the associated logistics support; and
- promote world food security in accordance with the recommendations of the United Nations and FAO.
The core policies and strategies that govern WFP activities are to provide food aid:
- to save lives in refugee and other emergency situations;
- to improve the nutrition and quality of life of the most vulnerable people at critical times in their lives; and
- to help build assets and promote the self-reliance of poor people and communities, particularly through labour-intensive works programmes.
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> United Nations (UN).
The United Nations was established on 24 October 1945 by 51 countries committed to preserving peace through international cooperation and collective security. Today, nearly every nation in the world belongs to the UN: membership totals 192 countries.
When States become Members of the United Nations, they agree to accept the obligations of the UN Charter, an international treaty that sets out basic principles of international relations. According to the Charter, the UN has four purposes:
- to maintain international peace and security;
- to develop friendly relations among nations;
- to cooperate in solving international problems and in promoting respect for human rights;
- and to be a centre for harmonizing the actions of nations.
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* The above story is adapted from materials provided by United Nations (UN)
** More information at United Nations (UN)
