To tackle underlying issues of mental health among youths in South Africa, the Foundation for Professional Development (FPD) has launched a pioneering mobile game, The StepWell Saga – Stronger Together.
Funded by a groundbreaking grant from Grand Challenges Canada, this initiative aims to reach young people through an engaging platform where they spend significant time: mobile gaming.
The StepWell Saga, Africa’s first serious game dedicated to mental health, unfolds as a captivating 2D side-scrolling adventure. Designed to be data-efficient, the game is easy to download and play, even on low-storage phones. Players embark on a journey to restore light to the kingdom of Stepwell, solving puzzles, battling monsters, and collaborating with friends to defeat the evil Shadow King.
Following the principles of edutainment, the game subtly integrates mental health messages through character interactions and gameplay. These elements promote problem-solving, strategy, teamwork, and mental resilience, making the learning process enjoyable and engaging. The game encourages critical thinking and highlights the importance of relationships in overcoming life’s challenges.
The project manager for StepWell Saga’s development, Jean Slabbert: “The state of youth mental health in the country is devastating. Poverty, inequality, youth unemployment, and adverse childhood events are just a few of the challenges South African youth face. We need innovative ways to reach our young people, equip them with skills to manage life’s difficulties, and provide them with hope and encouragement.”
During development, the game’s concept and script were tested with mental health experts and young individuals from communities around Pretoria. Milton Wainberg, professor of clinical psychiatry at Columbia University/New York State Psychiatric Institute, and a consultant to FPD, praised the integration of cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) and interpersonal therapy (IPT) elements into the game.
Wainberg said:“CBT helps players change unhelpful thinking patterns and use problem-solving skills, while IPT focuses on improving interpersonal relationships and functioning. Both sets of skills are modeled in the game for players to use in their own lives,”
To evaluate the game’s effectiveness, FPD has recruited 100 young people (ages 18-24) for a formal study using the MeMind application. MeMind continuously assesses participants’ mental health by posing daily screening questions.
Addiionally, participants are randomly assigned to either the intervention group, with access to both StepWell and MeMind, or the control group, with access to MeMind only. The study aims to correlate game engagement with improved mental health outcomes compared to the control group.
“We encourage everyone to download and play the game, which is free on Android, Huawei, and Apple devices. Who says learning can’t be fun?” Slabbert added.
ALSO READ: NIBSS TAPS EBEHIJIE MOMOH AS AFRIGOPAY CEO, UGO OBASI AS COO
This innovative approach by FPD represents a significant step towards improving mental health literacy and resilience among South African youth, leveraging the power of mobile gaming to make a positive impact.