Interactive mobile game to encourage empathy and dismantle stereotypes

Singapore

NADIA Rahim, a Malay-Muslim young adult, has a crush on a Chinese-Christian boy and dreams of being a doctor; while Amandeep Singh Sahota, a Punjabi Sikh young adult, faces pressures to change how he looks.

The two characters are part of an experiential and interactive mobile game, To Be You, which debuted last Wednesday, in conjunction with Racial Harmony Day.

First conceptualised by a team from Better.sg in 2020, To Be You was one of the winners at a hackathon organised by the Ministry of Culture, Community & Youth in 2020 - whose aim was to spur youths to think up ways to bring about greater social compact.

The immersive fiction game will deliberate issues pertinent to the society, and lets players experience "life" as someone else, discover challenges and dilemmas, and connect with the life journeys of people from different backgrounds.

Gaurav Keerthi, chief executive officer of Better.sg and co-lead of To Be You, said that in a multi-cultural society like Singapore, empathy is not optional.

A NEWSLETTER FOR YOU

Friday, 2 pm

Lifestyle

Our picks of the latest dining, travel and leisure options to treat yourself.

Sign Up

"Our diversity is what makes us unique and we really want this game to be something that sparks change in the communities. Our team believes that empathy cannot be taught through lessons or excursions - it must be experienced and felt," he said.

"We want Singaporeans to learn about the challenges of people different from themselves, to interact with their peers, to take the time to listen to their stories and experiences, and to understand what it's like to be somebody else."

Kalpana Vignehsa, a sociologist and research fellow at Institute of Policy Studies, and research adviser for the project, said: "Gamification is a great way to engage people, youths in particular, and can act as a bridge to deeper sharing and understanding in real life.

"Active engagement with the lived experiences of others, as well as personal reflection, is crucial to developing empathy. To Be You offers this embodied experience within storylines based on real life events."

The game has reached a total of over 1,500 people within two days since its launch.

A 20-year-old user said: "It's upsetting to see that in these very real situations, our friends have to silently endure ridicule and insults, and in some cases even self-deprecate to save themselves from the trouble of conflict...

"I feel for my minority friends and know that as a majority, I will never live their experiences but I will try my best to appreciate and honour their experiences as I do with mine."

• For more information, visit tobeyou.sg