Steps and Mudslides

In t his a c t iv it y, the participants explore the

roadblocks to change in rural communities in developing
countries.
t i m e r e q u i r e d : 2 0 to 3 0 m i n u t e s
INT E ND E D F O R G R A D E S 6 - 8
Mat er ial s

» copies of the game board resource, found on page 4, one for every four participants (printed on
N eed ed

cardstock, if possible)
» dice, one die for every four participants
» coins (or some other object that can be used as game pieces), one for each participant

Note: This activity is based on a board game. Each game can have up to four players.

Activity Steps
1 B e gin b y n o t ing that poverty happens when many factors—such as government policies,
droughts, war, and disease—limit people’s choices. Then share the following key points:
» Sometimes it seems like global problems are so big that there is no way we can help change
the lives of the world’s poorest people.

» Just giving more money or resources isn’t the answer. Neither is just lobbying for political
change. However, combining these strategies with community development can make a real
difference in the lives of people in poor communities.

» Community development is about change and partnership. It involves work or projects

undertaken jointly among people in poor communities, local authorities, governments, and
outside organizations (such as aid agencies) to bring about long-term improvements.

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 » Community development is about communities moving step-by-step and others working
side by side with them to improve living conditions and create lasting change. The existing
knowledge and skills of the people are affirmed, and the community members are seen as
active participants in the process of change.

» The way community development works for one community can be very different from how
it works for another community. In one community, the need for clean and safe drinking
water may be a greater need than the building of a new school. In another community, a
medical clinic may be the greatest need. In yet another community, the need for education on
farming may be most essential.

Tell the participants they will be participating in a board game to help them get a better sense of

2
the kinds of roadblocks many people in developing countries face.

Div id e t he l a r ge gr o up into small groups of three or four. Provide each small group
with a copy of a game board, a die, and a coin for each member. Then tell the participants the
following:
» Imagine you work for an American agency that is located in a developing country. Your role
is to help train local resource people in aspects of agriculture, nutrition, water use, sanita-
tion, and community development.

» The idea is that these resource people will then share their knowledge and training with oth-
ers in the community.

» The goal is to move about 4,000 people in a dozen villages from poverty to self-sustainabili-
ty.

» If you roll the die and land on a game board space with a ladder or steps, you get to “climb”
to a higher location. If you land on a location with a mudslide, you must “slide” down.

3
» The game ends when the first player reaches the finish line.

B e s ur e e v e ry o ne understands the game rules. Answer any questions the participants might
have, and then invite the small groups to begin the game.

4 W h e n a l l the small groups have completed the game, gather back the participants into the
large group and lead a discussion using these questions:
» What did you learn from this game?

» What did you find most frustrating about the game?

» What changes would make the game easier to win (and make life easier for people who are

5
hungry and poor)?

C o n c l ud e b y no t ing t he fo llo wing:

» Sometimes community development is seen only as the provision of tangible things, like
water tanks, roads, or school buildings. This model views poor communities as passive
recipients.

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 » Community development is about more than providing tangible things. It is also about help-
ing community members work through their problems and the causes, effects, and solutions.
This way they learn to understand the issues that are contributing to their poverty, and the
methods and resources that will help them to be self-reliant. The skills that remain will help
them build a better future for their children.

» The types of changes that might need to occur include the following:

» behavioral changes, such as washing hands before eating or having health-workers

wear disposable gloves to prevent HIV and AIDS transmission.

» participation changes, such as including women in decision-making.

» skills improvement, such as developing or learning techniques for irrigating crops,

receiving training to run a small business, or learning to be a classroom teacher.

» structural changes, such as local leadership’s becoming more accountable and con-
sulting with all the groups it represents; increasing access, such as building bridges
over gorges so women can get to health-care centers or clean water.

» It takes time to bring about lasting change. The time it takes in one community may be
different from the time it takes in another. World Vision might work on one project in a par-
ticular community for three years, but stay with a different community for 10 to 15 years,
until that community has the skills, ability, and resources to manage independently.

» Ultimately, community development is about teaching a community to respond to change

and to develop in a way that is sustainable. At the end of the day, successful community
development leaves a community with tools and skills to manage its future without relying
on external support.

» As we saw in the game, if none of the factors that create poverty are changed, people can’t
do anything about the situation that keeps them poor. But changing just one of those factors
can have a dramatic effect.

(This activity is adapted from a game produced by The Sharing Way, by the relief agency and development
ministry of Canadian Baptist Ministries. Used with permission. Copyright © 2008 by World Vision
Resources, Mail Stop 321, P.O. Box 9716, Federal Way, WA 98063-9716 wvresources@worldvision.org. All
rights reserved.)

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 Teenage
78 prostitution 71
75 73
74 70
and AIDS rates
finish increase along
new truck route.
76 72
Civil war

69
Tool shipment
63 disrupts crop 67
62
Local leaders arrives too late
61 production. and aid agency for harvest time.
resolve dispute. Lose a turn.

60 65
59 Bad roads and
lack of fuel
Banks go on
strike. Go back 3 Government

57
prevent arrival of
surplus rice. 55 spaces.
53
soldiers
attack
village land
50
58 reformers.
Lose a turn.
51
46
45
For the first Villagers suffer Local leader Clinic
time, women intestinal attendance
embezzles
49
40
are elected to parasites from project funds. by pregnant
the community dirty water. Lose Go back 3 women
council. a turn.
43 44 spaces. doubles.

39 36 35
Rains fail.
Drought stunts 34 Government

31
passes law
crops. Lose a
to redistribute
turn.

32
land more fairly.
38
Government Villagers move Local nutrition
raises prices
for locally
to the city when
government
24 Women receive
credit to buy 26 habits improve
after good
New hog project
raises farmers’
grown grain. takes their land tools and seeds. harvest. Move incomes by 20%.
Farmers’ incomes
increase. 21 22
away. ahead 4 spaces.
28
12
10
Older girls

17 16 15 develop tailoring
skills. Take an
extra turn.
11
19 13
Farmers use Local women

1 8
3 5
new disease- become trained

9
resistant seeds.
Start in nutrition and
health.
2 6

Resource: Permission to reproduce is granted. © 2008 by World Vision Resources.

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 About World Vision
W o rld V i s i o n i s a Christian relief, development, and advocacy organization dedicated to helping
children and their families break free from poverty. Our work is motivated by our faith in Jesus Christ. We
see a world where each child experiences “fullness of life” as described in John 10:10. And we know this can
be achieved only by addressing the problems of poverty and injustice in a holistic way. That’s how World
Vision is unique: We bring nearly sixty years of experience in three key areas needed to help children and
families thrive: emergency relief, long-term development, and advocacy. And we bring all of our skills across
many areas of expertise to each community we work in, enabling us to care for children’s physical, social,
emotional, and spiritual well-being.

W o rld V i s i o n R es o u r c e s educates Christians about global poverty, inspires them to social justice,
and equips them with innovative resources to make a difference in the world. By developing biblically-based
materials for educators and ministry leaders on the causes and consequences of global poverty, World Vision
Resources supports the organizational mandate to move the church in the United States to more fully embrace
its biblical responsibility to serve the poor.

For more information about

our resources, contact:

World Vision Resources

www.worldvision.org
wvresources@worldvision.org

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