There is a game on the Many Voice for Darfur blog, and it was a virtual experience of what the refugees have to do to get water. The water pipe is very far away, and to go there, they are risking their life. I learned that:

• Men never go to the water source because if they are caught they are most likely going to be killed.
• Women routinely forage for water, firewood and food, but while an adult woman can carry a heavier load back to her family, she faces a grave risk of being abused or raped if she is caught.
• Girls face abuse, rape and kidnapping by the Janjaweed if she is caught.
• Boys are fast and agile, but if he is caught he can be abused, held captive, and could be killed if caught by the militias.

As I was playing the game, trying to reach the goal of the water fosset, everytime I got caught I felt this strange feeling. Sort of an emptiness and a feeling of sadness rush over me. I mean, I’m just playing the game, but it’s based on what really happens to the people in Darfur every single day. Just knowing what you face every day when you wake up is just a horrible thought. Although the caharacters are just animated, they represent real people. People that are risking their life to bring home a jug of water for their family, firewood for their fire, and food for them to stay clear of starvation. It just pains you to realize that this is a huge deal, I mean here people waste water like crazy, they take everything for granted. Try the game, and you’ll understand what I mean.

http://darfurisdying.com/