The Race Against Global Poverty, today’s site of the day, is an interactive and educational multiplayer experience, designed to help young people aged 11 to 16 gain a greater understanding of the developing world. The site is part of the UK’s Department for International Development (DFID) focus on reducing global poverty.
At the heart of the Race Against Global Poverty website is an online quiz game, in which players can choose to play solo or challenge their friends. Eight friendly and unique characters may represent individual players or teams, as in a class situation.
The site was developed by Lightmaker, Manchester. Lightmaker created both full Flash and HTML versions of the website, allowing for maximum creativity whilst meeting government standards for accessibility, usability and Search Engine Optimisation. Lightmaker is a professional services agency that has been creating award-winning interactive experiences the world over since 1997. Their goal is to bring inspiration and innovation to every user.
The Race Against Global Poverty is featured on social networking hub Piczo where users can download images and interact further. The DFID has a discovery zone on its own site, providing information and opportunities for action. An education site provides teachers with related lesson plans and activity sheets for 11 – 14 year olds, along with access to the game on CD.