Thank you!

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In the last week we've reached a third of our goal for funds to continue production this summer!!!!! We have now raised $30,000 thanks to individuals who've given in amounts from $10-$1000 and thanks to our partner Population Media Center who has gifted the project $20,000. Tomorrow we will present our work to date to the UNFPA. Following that we will share our progress with you! You will be able to see the video documenting where the project is via our web site Empowering Play at http://www.emergentmediacenter.com/unvaw/ do stay tuned!!!!!

Video is on YouTube

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Spreading the Word

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Thank you to all who have been sending in your support! Gifts ranging for $10.00 to $1000.00 have been coming in. In the past few days we've reached about $7000.00. But of equal impact are those continuing to spread the word. An example is John Abele's post last week on the potential impacts of the project in the Kingbridge Centre blog: http://www.kingbridgecentre.com/wordpress/?p=65 

Every little bit helps us reach our goal—changing the game and causing a rethink of the appropriateness of violence against women. We are working to launch the game internationally during the FIFA World Cup. If we can make that goal, then I will feel that we've earned the thanks that Asanda offered us nine months ago when we left South Africa: http://emc-gamestakeonvaw.blogspot.com/2008/08/last-notes-from-40-winks-in-south.html

But back in the present, we will share our work to date with the UNFPA next week. This July PMC will be testing the game concepts in South Africa - back where we started. With your donations, the plan is to offer scholarships to our student teams to rapidly develop digital prototypes (week in development), test and refine the game episodes. With these prototypes in hand we will be reaching back to parties who were interested in testing on a larger scale this fall.

But what I'd like to share is some of the student voices from the project during different phases. To date 26 students have been working on the project—working with PMC, the EMC staff and faculty, and the UNFPA, researching the problem and solutions, designing the game play, writing the narrative, designing the art and the art pipeline, coding, testing, creating the marketing plan and web presence, recording all in video format and presenting to the UN, the Montreal International Game Summit, the press, and our Champlain trustees. It is good to hear their direct voices and the experiences and impact they are having on the world:

• Heather Conover from the start of the project, reflections from the townships: http://theseethroughmirror.blogspot.com/2008/08/live-from-cape-town.html
  
• and from a recent post on adding new team mates this summer: http://theseethroughmirror.blogspot.com/2009/05/today-was-fabulous-day-at-work-work.html 
• Lauren Nishikawa reflections on the S.Africa visit and the lack of taboo about violence against women: http://missnishi.blogspot.com/search/label/South%20Africa 
• Wes Knee on remembering Africa: http://wesknee.blogspot.com/2009/04/remembering-africa.html