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This super-fun mobile game is making it easier to talk about periods

International development expert Mariam Adil uses her addictive game to promote better menstrual hygiene habits
29 Aug, 2016

Here’s proof that a childhood spent playing video games isn’t exactly wasted.

While Mariam Adil spent hours playing Sim City, Need for Speed and Grand Theft Auto, she became aware of the fact that "games leave an impression on our brains that transcends the boundaries of the virtual world".

Fast forward a decade or so, Mariam Adil, now an Operations Analyst at the World Bank, has spent the past two-and-a-half years helping to ‘gamify’ international development.

At her social venture, GRID, her team of seven - that includes CEO/Director Rizwan Nusrat, Chief Technology Officer Taimur Ul Hassan, Graphic Artist Maryam Bilal, International Development Expert Kiran Javaid, Director Jacqueline Munoz and Social Media Manager Jon Fain - create games with the aim of “making social change fun”.

In other words, they make games “that can provide people information to help them make better decisions about their lives, their health, their money and their children’s future, all while having a good time.”

GRID's earliest games were training tool 'Randomania' and stereotype-buster 'Stereowiped'
GRID's earliest games were training tool 'Randomania' and stereotype-buster 'Stereowiped'

So far, they've made three games, including a PC game that served as a training tool for development practitioners, 'Randomania', and a Mahjong tiles-inspired, stereotype-busting mobile game, 'Stereowiped'.

Their latest game 'MoHiM', which aims to busts myths around menstrual health and hygiene, launched on the iOS market on August 12.

We speak to Mariam about MoHIM and the role of games in a world where "70% of people will own a smartphone by 2020."

MoHiM

In MoHiM, players dodge newspapers, leaves and old rags and try to catch sanitary napkins
In MoHiM, players dodge newspapers, leaves and old rags and try to catch sanitary napkins

MoHiM (which in Urdu means 'an effort' and also spells out the acronym for Menstrual Health Management) is a mobile game based on the concept of aim and catch.

The player uses a pair of undies to catch pads and avoid objects that should not be used to control period flow (newspapers, leaves, old rags).

Depending on the player's performance, he/she is rewarded with ‘keys’ that allow them to open ‘myth-buster’ doors in the subsequent level. With each opened door, the player busts common myths such as “you can’t bathe during your period” or “PMS is not real”.

While playing MoHiM, the player busts common myths such as “you can’t bathe during your period”
While playing MoHiM, the player busts common myths such as “you can’t bathe during your period”

"The taboo around menstrual health manifests oppression of a kind that few of us pay attention to," says Mariam, as she begins to explain how the idea for MoHiM materialised.

Although there is a dearth of empirical data on the exact extent and intensity of challenges women face in managing menstruation, there is a growing body of research that sheds light on the nature of their challenges, which include lack of guidance before the first period, lack of adequate washing facilities and lack of access to hygienic sanitary products. Moreover, men's lack of awareness and unwillingness to facilitate menstrual health management compounds these challenges for menstruating women.

"You know it's oppression when a woman is made to feel ashamed about her healthy body, you know it's oppression when a girl misses her exam because she doesn't know how to manage her period at school, you know it's oppression when a girl cannot cook, sleep in her house or in some cases have physical contact with her family during her period, you know it's oppression when the word 'period' makes people cringe!"

For this reason, Mariam and her team at GRID thought it necessary to create a game that could potentially mainstream the conversation around menstrual health.

MoHiM thus targets not only women of menstruating age, that is, 13-50 years old, but also men of 13 years and above, so that the latter can learn more about this biological phenomenon that is experienced by 50% of the population. By increasing awareness among all populations, the game aims to make everyone a champion for Menstrual Hygiene.

"I could have made a game on climate change or animal cruelty, issues that I'm also passionate about," says Mariam. "I could have decided to remain silent and maintain [the] status quo, I could have decided to not put my team through several awkward Skype calls on the design of the game... But I decided to make a game about aiming pads at panties, a game where you bust myths and realise that a conversation on periods can be fun..."

Making MoHiM

Mariam Adil says simplicity is key for successful mobile games
Mariam Adil says simplicity is key for successful mobile games

MoHiM’s prototype version has been developed for iPhones and iPads, a version that they plan to refine and build as they continue to test the game in different contexts.

Its design is informed by the collective knowledge base of the GRID team's three international development experts and one gender expert. Also, GRID’s partnership with grass root NGOs working on MHM issues in the field helped them to identify the optimal game design.

“After extensive discussions with agencies working in this field, we were able to focus our efforts on developing a game that was simple enough to be eventually hosted on low-end Android phones without becoming boring. Since we were limited on the animation front, we compensated with the art, music and basic game play, making it colorful, interactive and fun!”

However, GRID is also developing an Android version of MoHiM in partnership with Femme International, an NGO that promotes women's health, particularly menstrual hygiene, through education. This Android version is being tailor-made for 3500 secondary school students in three slum communities of Nairobi - Mathare, Huruma, and Korogocho. Not only will the content, art and language of the game be locally informed, but the technology requirements will match low-end Android phones.

The game is not expected to effect change in menstrual health habits on its own.

A trained facilitator will not only teach the girls how to play MoHiM, but also conduct an interactive workshop about menstrual hygiene and various reproductive health topics. Femme also distributes reusable menstrual management products, such as reusable pads and menstrual cups, thereby providing an affordable menstrual health management solution.Thus, the girls can turn their awareness into action and change their menstrual hygiene habits for good.

Why games matter

Mariam Adil and Kiran Javaid at the Clinton Global Initiative University, where they presented GRID at a session moderated by Bill Clinton himself
Mariam Adil and Kiran Javaid at the Clinton Global Initiative University, where they presented GRID at a session moderated by Bill Clinton himself

Some people might argue that most people in need of menstrual hygiene awareness may not have access to devices that will allow them to play MoHim; however, Mariam tells us otherwise.

“There are a billion people living under $1.25/day and half a billion playing video games for at least one hour every day,” she says. She goes on to add that The Ericson Mobility Report predicts 70% of the world’s population will be using smartphones by 2020.

In urban Kenya, for example, where MoHiM’s Android versioln will be introduced, mobile phones are a priority for many adolescents and nearly all households have at least one low-cost Android model.

“We are at the cusp of the next big technology boom: the global penetration of smartphones. We are looking at a world where smartphones as low as $20 are now available in areas where even toilets are a luxury. This boom opens a window of opportunity, to reach the poor through their phones and use simple mobile games as tools for behavior change.”

It’s clear that the challenge of fighting poverty is huge, but so is the potential of video games.

“We have seen games make waves in the fields of education and health, thanks to thought leaders like Jane McGonigal and Asi Burak, but we are only now gaining momentum,” tells Mariam.

"We have seen games for the western world, but what about the people who need them the most, the poorest of the poor. What is the role that games can play in helping them make better decisions, about their environment, their money, their children and their futures? That is a horizon waiting to be explored and the time is now to get started," she concludes.

Comments

Kartik. M Aug 29, 2016 09:48am
Hats off to Mariam Adil for highlighting such a touchy subject where the entire menfolk of the Indian subcontinent does not discuss the matter as hygiene related but as a social taboo. As a result the non working or dependent women folk are also reluctant to raise the issue with their parents, brothers or even spouse. This has left a glaring health problem which has kept the women suppressed and as undermines their confidence level in their day to day lives. It is time women took such bold steps and use modern day tools to raise awareness. Let me wish her all the best on behalf of all our sisters living in the underpreviliged world
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akhtar Aug 29, 2016 10:10am
Please also develop game for men
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Ameen Aug 29, 2016 10:23am
I wonder how they think that females remained unaware about periods when there were no such games. This is absolute rubbish. It is against our culture and traditions. This is non sense to discuss these things that too by small kids. Who will control its use. It a tool to destroy their minds.
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Mash Aug 29, 2016 12:28pm
Is it any different from narrating to kindergartens kids all about the first wedding night? Will it not be educating before needed. How would it be influencing, whether it should or should not, the minds of males of all ages? Is it the only way to educate the concerning women or are there much more efficient channels available? In my opinion answer to above questions plainly discourage any such initiative.
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saad khan Aug 29, 2016 04:39pm
well.... it's a foolish act and foolish effort of mariam and her team ... In this era even a non adult children know how to manage these things , and u are making games to make them realize that how to manage with these things... well !!! I would say that it's a very weird and cheap game and u cannot play this with your parents... if they need to know so GOOGLE is there ...
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Sana arslan Aug 29, 2016 08:02pm
This is not needed at all,choose some other channels to educate
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Asad Aug 30, 2016 12:41am
All those people saying this game is not appropriate because either it's not our culture to talk about these things so openly, or that it's too graphic for young kids, put yourself in their situation. I'll help you imagine. Imagine no one taught you where to poop, or how to clean up after, and being shushed by your elders everytime you needed to go to the bathroom or wanted to talk about how to wash. Now imagine, as a kid, having a tummy ache but not being able to tell anyone or not being able to go to the bathroom because someone might realize you were answering the call of nature and so having to tolerate that tummy ache till you're there's no one around to see you going to the loo. That's sort of what young girls who newly start menstruating feel like. Not a great position to be in, right? If your sensitivities can not handle talking about the problems faced by more than half the population, you need to shut it when someone else is trying to address the issue.
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Salmir Khan Aug 30, 2016 02:33am
I think it's a good start at making a positive impact on an issue that may not be getting enough attention. Sure, it's at the beginning stages but the point of the game is to educate people on a topic that we all need to know at least a little bit about (especially if you have a mother, sister, girlfriend, daughter, wife or any female acquaintance). It's hard to find fault in an app that's designed to help and it's probably a good idea to hold judgement until we see the effect MoHIM has on individual communities. I hope (and think) it will work out well!
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Namlas Aug 30, 2016 06:08am
Why periods have become such a problem? In this age information is available everywhere. People are not unaware anymore. Such a cheap idea to introduce awareness. Instead of this useless game should make games on honesty, loving the nature, how to keep clean our city, on increasing civic sense...list is very long. Instead of focusing on periods must focus on more serious problems, which we really need to educate not only to kids but also to adults. What she wants to achieve by making aware a 13 year old boy about mensturation????
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The GRID Team Aug 31, 2016 06:16pm
And hats off to you, @Kartik. M, for your support and for speaking your mind! GRID would be nothing without our confident supporters :) Feel free to further support our message by liking our social media sites and spreading the word! https://www.facebook.com/GamingRevolutionForInternationalDevelopment/ https://twitter.com/gamingfordev https://www.instagram.com/gamingfordev/
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The GRID Team Aug 31, 2016 06:17pm
Thanks for the comment, @akhtar! We’re excited to tell you that MoHiM is, in fact, for men, too! "To achieve gender equality, we also need to include men in the conversation. We need to teach young boys and men about the science behind menstrual cycle and advice them to be open-minded about changing traditions that serve no other purpose than gender discrimination." You can read more here: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/anisha-kapri/menstrual-cycle-still-a-b_1_b_9518754.html Feel free to check out our other games, too! https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/stereowiped/id972396140?mt=8
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The GRID Team Aug 31, 2016 06:18pm
We hear you, @Ameen ! But be assured that these games do not aim to harm culture or traditions, but rather to shed light on stigmas that oppress women all over the world. We appreciate you reading this article and giving your opinion. Strong opinions are important, and we have them too!
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The GRID Team Aug 31, 2016 06:19pm
@Mash, we do feel it is different! Menstruation is a regular part of female life, and it is important for young girls to learn about their bodies and, more importantly, that what they are experiencing is normal! Our hope is that it would be influencing the minds of males in a productive way by debunking the myths they have learned to deem true surrounding menstruation.
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The GRID Team Aug 31, 2016 06:20pm
Thank you @saad khan! It is certainly common to think that menstruation is a topic that all young girls know about, but a recent study showed that 48% of girls in Iran, 10% in India and 7% in Afghanistan believe that menstruation is a disease. We still have a long way to go in educating young girls on menstruation . While Google is undoubtedly a great tool, the game will be developed for low-cost Android phones, reaching an audience that does not have access to the internet. Some of the most innovative ideas were thought to be foolish in their conception-- we hope you change your mind as you continue to learn with us!
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The GRID Team Aug 31, 2016 06:20pm
@Sana arslan, GRID makes other games, too! So while we might disagree on the necessity of this (in our opinion!) very important game, we hope that you'll like some of the other that we've developed! Have fun and enjoy! https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/stereowiped/id972396140?mt=8
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The GRID Team Aug 31, 2016 06:21pm
@Asad, Thank you for your powerful comparison! We truly appreciate the support! Feel free to further support our message by liking our social media sites and spreading the word! https://www.facebook.com/GamingRevolutionForInternationalDevelopment/ https://twitter.com/gamingfordev https://www.instagram.com/gamingfordev/
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The GRID Team Aug 31, 2016 06:22pm
@Salmir Khan Thank you! You're exactly right. We hope and think it will work out too :) Feel free to further support our message by liking our social media sites and spreading the word! https://www.facebook.com/GamingRevolutionForInternationalDevelopment/ https://twitter.com/gamingfordev https://www.instagram.com/gamingfordev/
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The GRID Team Aug 31, 2016 06:22pm
@Namlas, we so wish this was true! But information is not as readily available many might think. Many people all over the world do not have access to the internet, but MoHiM will be created for low-cost androids—making it easier for young girls and boys to access our game. It is that thirteen year old boy who finds menstruation so taboo that is a big part of the problem! And what we hope to achieve is the creation of an educational outlet that will end the stigma around menstruation.
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The GRID Team Aug 31, 2016 06:25pm
@Namlas, we so wish this was true! But information is not as readily available many might think. Many people all over the world do not have access to the internet, but MoHiM will be created for low-cost androids—making it easier for young girls and boys to access our game. It is that thirteen year old boy who finds menstruation so taboo that is a big part of the problem! And what we hope to achieve is the creation of an educational outlet that will end the stigma around menstruation.
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