WaterQuest

Have you ever imagined how you would cope if you didn’t have a tap with clean water at home?

How would you wash, and what would you drink? And what would you do if there was no t​oilets available?

In this exciting game from the Charity WaterAid, you will have to grapple with these issues as you explore a rural village in the highlands of Madagascar. People there are a hard working tight-knit community, but they face many hardships because they don't have clean water or toilets. In your mission, you will interact with the villlages and listen to their stories, then recommend solutions to help WaterAid improve lives and step people out of poverty.

Talk to the villagers
Find 3 key people: Elisa, Cynthia and Marco. Each of them has a problem that you'll need to investigate and help to solve.

What is the right solution?
For each problem, you'll be able to propose different solutions. But be careful before you choose; make sure you research what each option entails.

Visit again!
Present your solutions to WaterAid, but bear in mind that funds may be limited, so you may need to prioritise. After a few months, you'll be able to see how the village has changed.

Collect quotes and take pictures
Everyone you meet will have something relevant to say. You may want to collect quotes to use them on your final report. You can also take pictures as you go along. There are breath taking landscapes in Madagascar, but you'll have to look out for hidden perils, such as the poo bushes!

Share your report
Once your aid work project is completed, you'll put together a report with all you've learnt and done. You can use your quotes and pictures here, share it, and print it out.

WaterQuest in the classroom
WaterQuest is a fun and interactive way to learn. It is aimed at Key Stage 3 and 4 Secondary School students, and specially well suited to the Geography curriculum. It will also work well within the context of Science, Citizenship and English, as pupils will be asked to explore and understand the plight of Madagascan villagers, offer solutions and then compile a report using the quotes and images they have compiled during their exploration.

If you are teacher, WaterAid have prepared lesson plans to help you get the most of the game with your class.