URUKUNDO Life Skills BOARD GAME

According to WHO about 17 million adolescent girls give birth every year and most of these births occur in low- and middle-income countries. At the Rwandan level, The majority of Rwandan young people suffer from the effects of the information gap they have on Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights. Currently, 1 in 5 adolescents start child bearing before the age of 19 (Rwanda Demographic Health Survey; DHS 2020). The teenage pregnancy rate fluctuated from 7.5 and 10% since 2010 despite existing national efforts. Unsafe abortion is 1⁄3 of all pregnancies in Rwanda especially in youth (The Guttmacher Institute, 2020).  Similarly the DHS reports 46% of women experiencing gender based violence while HIV prevalence in Kigali alone is 7% and as high as 55% in female sex workers (Rwanda NISR, 2020). Moreover, gender-based violence remains a pervasive issue, with the DHS reporting that 46% of women in Rwanda have experienced such violence. In addition to this, the prevalence of HIV is alarmingly high, particularly among female sex workers in Kigali, where it reaches 55%. 

In fact, the root cause for all these alarming statistics is limited access to accurate Sexual Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR) information. Moreover, it is consistent with highlighted SDG 3.7 that access to SRHR for young people is a pressing but surmountable global concern especially in the developing world where Rwanda resides. The information gap on SRHR in Rwandan and African young women and girls evidenced by embraced myths and misconceptions grows bigger everyday due to traditional teacher-centered and grade based comprehensive sexuality education and is preventing them from realizing their highest attainable standards of health. 

Unfortunately, the unmet need for SRHR information is concerning in Rwanda and provided nothing is done, the consequences of this information gap are dire. If left unaddressed, millions of young women, girls, and boys will continue to bear the burden of risky sexual behaviors, leading to unwanted and teenage pregnancies, unsafe abortions, gender-based violence and Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs), including HIV/AIDS. The problem affects the overall well-being and future prospects of these young individuals, perpetuating a cycle of limited opportunities, compromised health and halted abilities to contribute to their economies.

To create sustainable change and improve the lives of young people, our solution aims to bridge this information gap by providing accurate and comprehensive SRHR education. By doing so, we can empower young individuals with the knowledge they need to make informed decisions about their sexual and reproductive health, reduce the prevalence of teenage pregnancies and unsafe abortions, lower rates of gender-based violence, and decrease the spread of STIs, including HIV/AIDS.

In summary, the problem we are addressing is the critical lack of SRHR information in Rwanda, which has far-reaching implications both locally and in the broader context of global health and development. Our solution directly confronts this issue by providing the education and resources necessary to empower young people and safeguard their sexual and reproductive health.

Our solution called URUKUNDO Life Skills BOARD GAME existing as a physical and digital product is an innovative solution which solves the unmet need for SRHR information among young people in Rwanda and Africa. It is an international multi-awards winning game where fun and learning meet. 

The URUKUNDO Life Skills BOARD GAME is a cards and board based game made of question cards and answer cards containing trustful and scientifically accurate SRHR information that young people need to thrive. The game is a comprehensive package  containing a game toolkit and an SRHR booklet which contain the evidence based and validated information that parents and teachers get uncomfortable sharing or even talking about. The game provides a safe space for fun and learning hence its classical slogan of “where fun and learning meets!”.  

We followed the UNFPA recommendation that comprehensive sexuality education should not just be just school-based but involve extra-curricular activities like games and role plays and we have revolutionized the comprehensive sexuality education from schools and grade based approach to a play based and youth centered fashion. Through URUKUNDO Life Skills BOARD GAME, we ensure that young women and girls in Rwanda and Africa can get vital information to make informed choices about SRHR and well being. 

The physical game is currently being used by individuals, families, schools, youth centers and other governmental and non governmental institutions working with young people. The testimonies from those users are inspiring and users are bridging their knowledge gap. The digital game’s version 1 is already launched on Google Play and App Store and  we are aspiring to revamp it to a strong bandwidth app to serve millions of young people in Africa who are hungry for youth friendly SRHR information. 

Regarding the impact, the game is assured of impact due to the proof of concept (POC) established during piloting thanks to the support received from the UNFPA Joint Innovation Challenge that the game doubles the knowledge of users and significantly improves the attitude and practices of young women, girls and adolescents. 

Moreover, talking of feasibility, the game is not just a prototype, it is a product on the market with over 1,000 copies of the game sold and reaching over 1 million young people in Rwanda and East Africa. We seek to amplify our reach by revamping our digital game. We have embraced an innovative approach of play based as it has been established that youth learn by doing and most spend their time playing physical and mobile games. 

Our solution is human centered and especially women centered because both physical and digital games were tested and approved by our close proximity users before each step of development and launch with more than 70% of testers being young women. Thanks to our digital game, we are scalable to each country of Africa as we have started to impact lives in Burundi! 

Link to physical game demo: https://urukundoinitiative.com... 

Link to app: https://apps.apple.com/ke/app/...

At URUKUNDO Initiative, we believe young people are protected when informed, thus our mission is serving young women, girls, and adolescents aged 10 to 35, residing in the middle class in Rwanda and East Africa. This demographic of 116.8 million youth faces the harsh realities of the information gap around Sexual Reproductive Health (SRH), leading to a cascade of challenges, particularly in the form of risky sexual behaviors and their associated consequences.

In many instances, these young women, youth, adolescent girls and boys lack comprehensive and accurate information about SRH, leaving them vulnerable to unplanned pregnancies, sexually transmitted infections, and a range of other health issues including but not limited to mental health issues. Additionally, societal norms and stigmas often hinder open discussions about reproductive health, perpetuating the silence around these critical matters.

This target population is currently underserved and have a big information gap on Sexual Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR) characterized by widely accepted myths and misconceptions around SRHR. They thus suffers the consequences of risky sexual behaviors. There are different interventions brought various players including booklets, radio talks and formal education. However, such measures have failed to serve the information to the young. Such methods are teacher centered and grade based and in many instances they are not acceptable by the target young people. 

We believe that young people should be reached in the ways they want and find themselves mostly in and not the way the implementers like. It has been established that youth spend most of their time playing physical or digital phone or computer based games. We innovated in a way that through those games they like the most, they can get unforgettable and protective SRHR information. Our solution address their need as it provide the friendly, trustful, inclusive and evidence based fashion. Through our proximity with the community and our robust M&E systems, we have proof of concept regarding how our game solve the particular needs of our target population made of youth aged 10 to 35. 

As SRH is one of the 3 accelerators for development returns, and the existing information dissemination channels have failed to give tangible results, and societal taboos continues to restrict their access to essential knowledge we prioritize empowering underserved young women, adolescents girls and boys by providing accessible, reliable, and evidence based Comprehensive Sexuality Education through URUKUNDO Life Skills BOARD GAME thus enabling them to make informed decisions about their reproductive health.

Our social enterprise was founded and is led by medical doctors and especially our team lead Dr. Christelle GIRANEZA, we have dedicated ourselves to supplying young people with the research proven and scientifically accurate information. Having an extensive knowledge on the psychology of young people and evidence-based information they need give us the extra advantage  to deliver our solution of URUKUNDO Life Skills BOARD GAME

Moreover, our team is made of people of diverse backgrounds including IT, graphic and software designs positioning us to compete in the digital world. Every step of the development, design, launch and implementation of our game was guided by young women, youth and adolescents who tested and approved our products and provided regular feedback driving our continuous product improvement. 

We have a close proximity to users through our weekly physical outreaches and social media campaigns thus we receive daily feedback from our users. Any game feature, content of need and one-on-one counseling is guided by our youth users needs, inputs, ideas and agenda. We live in and work with the community we serve. Fortunately, we are part of the target people we are serving. 

Moreover, we have youth representative in 3 youth centers in rural Rwanda (Karongi, Nyamasheke and Rusizi) as well as youth peer educators in 3 largest refugees camps (Mahama, Kigeme and Kiziba) who are our ambassador at the aforementioned location and explain to our beneficiaries how the game is played while collecting feedback on weekly basis. For the digital game, the feedback is auto-submitted to our webmail for immediate considerations. 

Our beneficiaries are well represented with peer educator as well as youth ambassadors in the community who act as facilitators while youth are playing the game and as we believe in evidence-based practice;  we have an M&E tool called pre-playing and post-playing survey which assess the knowledge and attitude of users before and after playing the game to prove the impact and collected direct feedback from the play. We decided to be robust in seeking inputs and ideas from the community we serve. 

We always listen to our beneficiaries, acknowledge their feedback coming through different channels including our social media platform, website as well as the one we got from their representatives like peer educators and we ensure to give them a urgent consideration while redefining the game logics, content and design in order to make sure that  our solution  are guided by the community’s input, ideas, and agendas.

The URUKUNDO Like Skills BOARD GAME physical game has been on the market since mid 2021. Until September 2023, just within the first two (2) years of operation, 1000 packages had been sold. We reached the break even point in our first and half year of operations.

Talking of numbers, hundreds of thousands of youth, women and girls in Rwanda were reached with the URUKUNDO Life Skills Board Game and benefited from our play based learning approach. Being specific, in each of 100 high schools visited at least 1,000 students got the opportunity to play and learn from the game and that is 100,000 young people already. In each of the 4 refugee camps, at least 10,000 youth utilized our innovative tool. We estimate that 140,000 people used our educational tool directly. 

Considering digital game users (1,000 users since launch 3 months ago), game center visitors, youth centers outreaches and youth who benefited from our social media campaigns, TV and Radio talks, over 200,000 young people benefited from our innovation.

We stay committed to expand our innovation to every young person in Africa through a revamped and broad bandwidth mobile game.

The URUKUNDO Life Skills BOARD GAME is innovative as it presents a novel approach to addressing the critical issue of sexual and reproductive health education among young people in Rwanda and Africa. By merging play and learning, this solution disrupts the traditional model of SRHR education, which often relies solely on classroom-based instruction. This innovative approach caters to the diverse learning styles and preferences of young people, enabling them to absorb crucial information in an engaging and non-intimidating environment.

One of the key distinguishing factors of the URUKUNDO Life Skills BOARD GAME is its comprehensive nature. By offering a holistic package that includes a physical game, a game toolkit, and an SRHR booklet alongside a digital version, it ensures accessibility across different platforms and environments. This comprehensive approach fills the existing gap in SRHR education and provides a sustainable and scalable model for reaching a broader audience.

Furthermore, the solution's emphasis on human-centered design, particularly with a focus on women, amplifies its impact and relevance in the context of African societies. By incorporating the feedback and insights of the primary users, especially young women, throughout the development process, the solution aligns closely with the specific needs and sensitivities of the target demographic.

URUKUNDO Life Skills BOARD GAME's potential to catalyze broader positive impacts within the SRHR education space is significant. Firstly, by demonstrating tangible and measurable improvements in knowledge and attitudes among young people, the solution can serve as a compelling case study for the integration of play-based learning in comprehensive sexuality education. This success could prompt educational institutions, NGOs, and policymakers to adopt similar approaches, thus amplifying the overall impact on youth well-being.

Moreover, the collaboration with local and international organizations and the establishment of strategic partnerships could foster a network effect, leading to the dissemination of best practices and the sharing of resources and knowledge within the SRHR education domain. By championing a user-centric approach and leveraging partnerships, URUKUNDO Life Skills BOARD GAME has the potential to revolutionize the market by setting new benchmarks for effective, accessible, and culturally sensitive SRHR education tools.

In terms of technology, the digital transformation of the game represents a key innovation. By revamping the digital version into a robust, high-bandwidth application, the solution ensures the seamless and widespread dissemination of youth-friendly SRHR information. This digital platform integrates interactive features, multimedia content, and user-friendly interfaces, thereby enhancing the overall user experience and knowledge retention. The incorporation of gamification elements and interactive modules not only makes learning more engaging but also aligns with the preferences of the target audience, many of whom are accustomed to spending time on mobile and digital platforms.

The use of technology not only facilitates the accessibility and scalability of the solution but also contributes to the data-driven approach for impact assessment and monitoring. By leveraging data analytics and user feedback, the solution can continuously adapt and improve, ensuring that it remains relevant and effective in catering to the evolving needs of young people in Rwanda, Africa, and potentially beyond.

Our impact goals for the next year and the next five years are centered around empowering and educating young people across Rwanda and Africa about sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR). We aim to create a transformative impact on their lives by fostering informed decision-making, improving attitudes towards SRHR, and ultimately promoting healthier and more fulfilling lives. Our goals align closely with the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), primarily focusing on Goal 3: Good Health and Well-being, Goal 4: Quality Education, Goal 5: Gender Equality, and Goal 17: Partnerships for the Goals.

To begin, the impact Goals for the Next Year:

• Physical game reach expansion: Increase the reach of the URUKUNDO Life Skills BOARD GAME physical game to an additional 100,000 young people; young women and girls in Rwanda and East Africa through partnerships with schools, youth centers, and more. 

• Digital Reach Expansion: Upgrade the digital version of the game to cater to the needs of at least 40,000 more young people by enhancing the app's accessibility, user interface, and interactive features, thereby ensuring widespread access to accurate and youth-friendly SRHR information.

• Impact Assessment: Conduct a comprehensive impact assessment to measure the game's effectiveness in doubling the knowledge of users and enhancing the attitudes and practices of young women, girls, and adolescents regarding SRHR. This will be using our existing M&E tools. 

• Public sector growth: Collaborate with local advocacy groups and policymakers who integrated comprehensive sexuality education into the national curriculum, to adopt a play based approach and use our game as a teaching tool. 

The strategies for Achieving the Next Year's Impact Goals include partnerships with educational institutions, NGOs, and government agencies to expand the reach of the physical game and enhance the distribution network, keeping and improving on current technology and engaging the target community at every step. 

Furthermore, the impact goals for the next 5 years (2025-2030):

• Continued Reach Expansion: Reach a total of 1.5 million young people across Africa, including countries like Burundi and Kenya, through a scalable and culturally adaptable model, fostering a more informed and empowered youth population.

• Policy Integration and Sustainable Impact: Advocate for the integration of play-based comprehensive sexuality education into national education policies and programs in multiple African countries, ensuring the sustainability and long-term impact of the initiative.

• Research and Development: Continuously update the game content and resources based on feedback and research insights, ensuring that the information remains up-to-date, relevant, and responsive to the evolving needs and challenges faced by young people in the realm of SRHR.

Strategies for Achieving the Five-Year Impact Goals would be based on sustaining and improving on the aforementioned annual strategies.

In a nutshell, with our impact goals aligned with the UN SDGs, fostering strategic partnerships, leveraging technology, and prioritizing user community engagement and empowerment, we are confident in our ability to drive transformative change in the sphere of SRHR education and contribute to the holistic development and well-being of young people in Rwanda and across Africa.

The theory of change for the URUKUNDO Life Skills BOARD GAME relies of inputting the friendly and scientifically accurate SRHR information through various interfaces and gaining or improving knowledge as immediate output (proven by our pre-playing and post playing surveys with established proof of concept of doubling the knowledge of users) while the attitude and behavior change are the long term outcome and impact. This research based logical framework assures us that our solution will impact the problem since behaviors of young people will change hence halt their engagement in risky sexual behaviors and hence get protected from their consequences. The detailed framework is shared here:

To begin, the inputs includes:

• Comprehensive SRHR information which is scientifically accurate adopted from WHO and UNFPA manuals and validated by experts from the Ministry of Health of Rwanda 

• Innovative game design combining entertainment with education tested and approved by target users 

• Revamped and wide broadband digital game accessible to every young person in Africa

• Engagement of local communities, schools, and youth centers through weekly outreaches 

• Strategic partnerships with NGOs, governmental institutions, and educational authorities

In addition, the main organizational activities are:

• Distribution of physical and digital versions of the game to schools, communities, and online platforms

• Facilitation of game-based SRHR workshops and interactive sessions

• Collaboration with educators and community leaders to integrate the game into educational and youth development programs

• Regular and ongoing user feedback collection and incorporation into game development and updates

Moreover, the immediate outputs are:

• Increased accessibility to accurate SRHR information among young people in Rwanda and Africa

• Doubled SRHR knowledge among users as evidenced by our pre and post playing survey in a proof of concept done in 60 high schools and 4 refugee camps where after at least 1 month of regular playing the game, the knowledge of users doubled in performance scores. 

• Empowerment of young individuals, particularly women and girls, through increased confidence and self-advocacy regarding their sexual and reproductive health

Lastly the long term outcomes are:

• Changed attitudes and behaviors of users specifically avoiding risky sexual behaviors and adopting safe sexual practices. This was proven by testimonies and interviews from the users in a local survey after 6 months of using the game. 

• Improved sexual and reproductive health practices leading to a decline in negative health outcomes among young people

• Cultivation of a supportive environment for open discussions and informed decision-making about sensitive SRHR topics

In general, we are scientifically assured that our solution will make an impact and contribute to a long-term societal impact through the development of a generation of informed, empowered, and responsible individuals contributing positively to their communities and their countries economy.

Full time: 10 (60% are female) 

Part-time: 50 (80% are female) 

Contractors: 10 

Test teams: 80 (75% are female)

The URUKUNDO Life Skills BOARD GAME was launched on the market in June 2021 but we started working on it in December 2019 and met various setbacks on product development timeline due to COVID19. 

Total duration: 3 years 

At URUKUNDO Initiative, we have adopted diversity, equity, and inclusivity (DEI) into the core of our values and operations, acknowledging the vital role it plays in fostering innovation and understanding within our team and in the communities we serve. Our leadership team reflects our commitment to DEI, with a strong focus on female leadership. Out of our 10 full-time team members, 60% are female, demonstrating our dedication to empowering young women and girls. 

Additionally, our part-time team consists of 80% female members, showcasing our ongoing efforts to provide opportunities for women to thrive in our industry. Our objective is to promote a diverse, equitable, and inclusive work environment as we expand throughout Africa. We actively seek out team members with diverse cultural backgrounds, genders, and perspectives in order to accomplish this. We acknowledge that a wide range of human characteristics, such as race, ethnicity, gender identity, sexual orientation, and socioeconomic status, are included in diversity. By adhering to this broad definition, we hope to assemble a group of people who are a true reflection of the diverse and vibrant communities we seek to influence.

Making sure that every team member has equal access to resources, chances for professional development, and channels for significant contribution is part of our approach to equity. Our commitment lies in removing structural obstacles that have traditionally impeded the advancement and complete involvement of underrepresented groups in our sector. We want to level the playing field so that all team members, regardless of background, have equal opportunities to succeed through just and open policies.

We actively work to create an atmosphere where each member of our team feels appreciated, respected, and supported by encouraging inclusion. We support candid dialogue, helpful criticism, and the appreciation of different viewpoints. All team members' input is given priority during our decision-making processes, fostering an environment where everyone's opinion is respected and heard. We also work hard to apply this inclusive mentality to the creation of our products, making sure that the game content is appropriate for the various African communities and sensitive to cultural differences.

We have taken a number of steps in our pursuit of DEI, such as focused recruitment campaigns to draw in talent from a variety of backgrounds, continuous training sessions for team members on unconscious bias and cultural competency, and the creation of affinity groups to serve as a forum for candid discussion and support. In addition, we actively look for collaborations with groups that support diversity and inclusion so that we can keep learning and improving our DEI initiatives.

By embedding diversity, equity, and inclusion into the fabric of our organization, we are committed to creating a transformative impact not only within our team but also within the communities we serve across Africa.

The business model of URUKUNDO Life Skills Board Game Mobile application is explained from its uniqueness in information delivery, digital channels and the cost structure as well as revenue streams.  Through our game product, we provide service of youth friendly SRHR information to parents (who desperately need tool to talk to their adolescent children), institutions (who needs innovative tool for their youth beneficiaries), government (who needs CSE teaching material) and young people directly who want to have meaningful and educational fun. Our customers need our product through its proven uniqueness, friendly approach and impact. 

The model of the URUKUNDO Life Skills Board Game mobile Application starts with establishing a pool of enough digital audience through free download and usage starting with thousands of those who accessed the physical products. That audience will be the basis of us getting revenue from advertising companies starting with our partners in the telecommunication and banking sector. We will work with local and international companies to advertise their products through our game digital platform. 

As if that is not enough, the app will serve as a hub for in-app purchase of health products, contraceptives and self care products that youth already were established to admire. Lastly and lately, as the audience grow we will raise money through premium subscriptions and payments to  downloading the application by the use where will cost $5 to download the application and while playing to move up to high levels with more engaging features will cost $1 per level and for a game made of 10 preliminary levels making it more addictive and revenue making.

The revenue projections for the mobile application are optimistic, with a forecasted $48 per user per year from in-app purchases, $13 per user per year from advertisers, $12 per user per year from e-commerce/referral transactions, and $100 per user per year from premium subscriptions. These estimates are based on the expected growth of the user base to 100,000 within the first three years of launch. 

In contrast, the physical board game targets areas with low smartphone and computer penetration, primarily marginalized regions where the majority of beneficiaries reside. The marketing strategy involves emphasizing the practicality and necessity of the URUKUNDO Life Skills BOARD GAME as a valuable tool. Families are introduced to the product through a sample and a designed monitoring and evaluation tool, assessing the improvement in SRH knowledge. The pricing model for the physical board game involves a one-time purchase of $20 (for a game which can be played by 8 people at once for 6 months without exhausting its content), with an additional $10 for the next level, enabling families to spend an estimated $40 to $50 per year. This approach ensures accessibility and affordability for this special target demographic for inclusion while providing ongoing SRH educational benefits.

In summary, the business model of URUKUNDO Life Skills BOARD GAME delivers valuable SRH education to youth and families while demonstrating a sustainable approach to both impact and financial viability.

Our pathway to scale and  become financially sustainable is clear and hybrid from both the private and public sector. Even though our main way to bring in money to fund our work is from sales of our products and services, we have existing service contracts with the government, sustained donations and grants as detailed in the following passages. 

To begin, selling our products to the physical and digital customers is our main strategy and will sustain our revenue streams enabling us to cover our expected operational expenses. This is evidenced by revenue of $173/user/per year for projected 100,000 users of digital games in the next 3 years adding on the revenues we are getting from the physical game of $20 per physical package with 100 customers per month and 1200 customers per year. This makes us confident for sustained coverage of company needs even if other sources become scarce. 

Moreover, in the public sector, our products address a pressing need in the Rwandan educational system. As Rwanda recently integrated comprehensive sexuality education into the high school curriculum, our teaching tools are essential for fulfilling this mandate. We anticipate entering into service contracts with the Rwandan government, specifically with the Ministry of Health, to provide our games for use in youth corners, youth centers, and even refugee camps. This government collaboration not only ensures a stable revenue stream but also demonstrates our commitment to public service and educational enhancement. Of note, we have started working with several schools locally for this mandate. 

Additionally, it is important to note that our products have already demonstrated their appeal and effectiveness, receiving accolades and international recognition. This recognition positions us to continue receiving grants, donations, and awards from both local and international partners who support our mission to empower underserved women and girls. Adding to the recent award from UNFPA Global Joint Innovation Challenge, we have already established strong relationships with local partners like Agahozo Shalom Youth Village and international partners, such as African Impact Challenge through the University of Toronto. This solidifies that our product is award winning and our innovative approach is internationally commendable. 

Furthermore, we have a growth mindset and we are open to investors and investment capital to amplify our impact and bridge borders with our impactful solution. We recognize the potential for exponential growth and cross-border expansion, and we are receptive to investors and investment capital that align with our mission and values. By bringing in additional capital, we can accelerate our impact and reach even more underserved communities.

In conclusion, our pathway to financial sustainability is built on a diverse and hybrid model that encompasses sales, government contracts, grants, awards and potential investment capital. By combining these approaches, we aim to create a robust and sustainable financial foundation that will not only cover our operational expenses but also enable us to expand our reach and impact. This approach is underpinned by our commitment to making a difference in the lives of underserved women and girls.