Note: This blog discusses an innovative livelihoods game developed by Aarushi Pandey, AIF Banyan Impact Fellow (2024-25), in collaboration with Indian Grameen Services. It will be featured in the Indian Grameen Services module on Behavioural Change Communication & Mindset Shift as a booklet.
In the field of rural development, training methods must go beyond lectures and passive learning. Participatory methods become the backbone of effective engagement when working with communities, especially in areas where behavioural change communication (BCC) and mindset shifts are crucial. This is exactly what inspired me to develop “Samarth Village: The IGS Livelihoods Game” (IGS here means my host organisation, Indian Grameen Services). Samarth Village is a simulation game designed to address real-life rural challenges through an immersive and collaborative approach.
Why Traditional Training Methods Are Inefficient
Traditional training relies on structured content, assuming literacy and familiarity with formal education—barriers for many rural participants. These methods also demand time, which is scarce in communities balancing livelihood and household responsibilities, leading to low engagement. Passive formats like lectures and PowerPoints fail to make learning interactive or practical. Training content is often designed externally, overlooking local realities and reducing its impact.
The Need for Innovation in Training
Lecture-based training and workshops fail to reflect real-world decision-making, especially in rural settings. People learn best through interactive, experience-based methods, leading me to gamify the training process. Instead of one-way instruction, I created a participatory model where villagers take on stakeholder roles, collaboratively navigating challenges. This approach led to the Livelihoods Game, integrating BCC, problem-solving, and convergence for deeper engagement.
How the Game Works
The game is designed as a board-based simulation where participants step into different roles within a rural community and collectively navigate real-world challenges. The board consists of 64 tiles, each representing a different scenario that villagers commonly face. Participants move forward by rolling dice, encountering obstacles, opportunities, and decision-making moments along the way.
Key Game Elements:
- Problem Tiles: These tiles represent major challenges in rural life, such as poor healthcare, gender inequality, water scarcity, financial exclusion, and limited access to government schemes. When a team lands on a problem tile, they must analyse the issue and propose solutions based on their assigned roles.
- Convergence Tiles: These encourage collaboration by requiring teams to work together, mimicking how different stakeholders—villagers, local leaders, NGOs, and government bodies—must coordinate in real life to solve complex problems.
- Event Tiles: These introduce unpredictable changes, such as policy shifts, climate-related disasters, or sudden financial crises. This helps participants understand how external factors impact decision-making and forces them to adapt their strategies.
- Resource Book: This book serves as a guide, offering various solutions to the challenges presented in the game. However, not all solutions are equally effective. Some may seem beneficial in the short term but have harmful long-term consequences—like relying on moneylenders instead of forming self-help groups. This pushes players to think critically and unlearn counterproductive practices.
Role-Based Learning:
Unlike traditional training methods where information is simply delivered, this game immerses participants in different roles that reflect real-life decision-making in a village setting. Each team is assigned one of the following roles:
- Ordinary Villagers – Individuals manage daily struggles and make choices that impact their livelihoods.
- Village Elders – Respected figures influencing community decisions based on traditions and past experiences.
- NGO Workers – Representatives of organisations trying to introduce new interventions and mobilise people.
- Government Stakeholders – Officials responsible for policy implementation and resource allocation.
(More roles can be assigned by facilitators if there are more teams; example roles are mentioned in the original module document which will be published by my host organisation, Indian Grameen Services soon)
Players navigate the complexities of rural development by making decisions based on their assigned roles. This experience helps them understand how different stakeholders interact, collaborate, and sometimes clash.
The Process of Designing the Game
Developing this game required community insights, research, and behavioural psychology. I started by identifying rural communities’ most pressing issues and mapped them onto the board. The next step was ensuring that the solutions weren’t merely theoretical but practical and behaviour-focused—highlighting how mindset shifts and collaboration could lead to sustainable changes. Since my host organisation and field site are far apart, frequent field visits were not logistically feasible. To bridge this gap, I supplemented my insights with extensive literature reviews, incorporating as much secondary research as possible to strengthen the game’s relevance and applicability.
Creating the Resource Book to refer to providing the best solution to a problem tile was one of the most challenging yet rewarding parts of the design process. Rather than simply listing correct solutions, I wanted participants to grapple with real dilemmas. Some solutions seem good at first glance but have long-term negative consequences—for instance, relying on moneylenders instead of forming self-help groups or using kerosene lamps instead of investing in sustainable electrification. The game triggers critical thinking and self-reflection by incorporating these subtly harmful solutions, helping participants unlearn problematic practices.
Why Gamification Matters in Community Training
The power of this game lies in its experiential and participatory nature. Instead of receiving information passively, participants actively engage with the problems, brainstorm solutions, and see the consequences of their decisions unfold in real-time. This approach fosters:
- Deep Learning – People remember solutions better when they experience decision-making firsthand.
- Collaboration – Encourages collective problem-solving, reflecting real-world rural governance dynamics.
- Behavioural Change – Challenges long-held beliefs and nudges participants toward more sustainable practices.
- Scalability & Adaptability – The game can be customised to different communities by updating the challenges and solutions to match local contexts.
A Step Towards Transformative Learning
“Samarth Village” is more than just a game—it is a focal point of rural life, offering participants a safe space to experiment with ideas, learn from mistakes, and understand the impact of collective decision-making. The game provides a sense of ownership among participants, empowering them to apply these problem-solving skills in their own communities.
As trainers and curriculum designers, we must embrace innovation and creativity in developing learning methods that truly engage, challenge, and inspire change. This game is my small contribution toward that goal, ensuring that community training is not just informative but also transformative. With this livelihoods game, if even one community walks away with new insights and the confidence to drive change, I know this effort has been worthwhile.
