Zynga and WFP fight hunger

The World Food Programme (WFP), the world’s largest humanitarian agency, has joined forces with social gaming powerhouse Zynga, to help alleviate hunger and poverty, and support education initiatives, worldwide.

Players of four of Zynga’s most popular games, FrontierVille, Treasure Isle, YoVille and Zynga Poker, can purchase limited edition items that will help them as they play. Zynga is donating 100% of the proceeds to WFP provide children around the world with healthy meals.

Farmville Farmers Help Haiti

When Haiti was hit by a violent earthquake in January 2010, players of Zynga’s hit farm-simulation game, Farmville, stepped forward to do their part. Within two weeks, they’d donated over US $1 million to the Zynga Haiti Relief Fun—enough to feed 4 million children for a day.

Zynga then rewarded all the game’s players with a virtual High Energy Biscuit which made their farms extra-productive for a day.

High Energy Biscuits are often distributed by WFP in an emergency, because they don’t have to be cooked and provide essential nutrients.

Zynga games

The limited edition items now available to players of Zynga games include the following:

Players of Frontierville can acquire a red mystery animal crate.

Players of Yoville can now add two special bears to their online world.

Explorers of Treasure Isle will be able to dig up a boat that boosts their energy.

Zynga Poker players can purchase a special $2 package of poker chips, with Zynga contributing 100% to WFP. In addition, players who purchase any other package of chips in the game, will be contributing $1 to WFP, encouraging players to not only aim for a royal flush, but give to a good cause.

School meals: feeding minds, changing lives

School meals are an effective way of channelling nutritious food to children, which is one of the reasons why WFP is boosting its school feeding programmes. But school meals also do other things:

  1. They help kids feel that life is normal
  2. They help kids concentrate better in school
  3. They encourage parents to send kids to school
  4. They help ensure girls get an education too

The cup of nutritious corn-soya blend porridge that children get through WFP is often the only meal they get in the day. It costs just 25 US cents.

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