Presenting the Djonya Kêlè project (Games against slavery) at the Games for Change conference in New York, 17-20 July 2023

From 17 to 20 July 2023, Dr Marie Rodet (project director), Max Musau (CEO of Jiwe Studios) and Aline Desdevises (project coordinator) attended and presented the Djonya Kêlè Ja Toulon project at the Games for Change 2023 conference in New York. This conference focused on the positive impact that video games can have in the world, and how to foster these positive changes.
Max Musau presented our Usawa mobile game produced within the project in the panel titled “International Games for Change: Regional Change Makers”. He explained the process of creation of the game, research-based and community-driven, and in what ways games could be of use in raising awareness against African descent-based slavery. Watch Max Musau’s presentation here! The Q&A session highlighted the similarities in how games can bring about social change in different parts of the world, notably Africa, South America, and Asia.
As well as representing the project, the conference was also an opportunity to connect with people closely involved in the video game industry, to draw inspiration from shared thoughts and experiences, and to raise awareness of the phenomenon of slavery in West Africa.