October 17, 2008 at 8:15 am
The quest has officially started!
Thousands of people from all over the world, including some of you, have responded to the plight of sixteen-year old Ugandan Joseph as he desperately tries to trace his mother.
As of today, over 4500 people have signed up to the British Red Cross game; ‘Traces of Hope’.
From Search to videos, online social search communities like us or other social networks, you can start playing and help Joseph in his quest.
If you haven’t sign up yet, visit the Traces of Hope website and wait for Joseph to contact you with news of his situation, and the adventure will begin.
For more info on the game, see this blog post.
And we advise you to keep an eye on here, we might give you little hints for the game…
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I have a sister somewhere I don’t know about what makes Joseph’s case so special?
its his MUM not a sister his mum i have loads of family ive never spoke 2 or who dont know about mii
he needs 2 find his mum though….
i mean if you didnt know ur mum surley you would want 2 find her or find out who she is right??
GOOD LUCK
Is this just a game or real? Because if it’s just a game it’s so insensitive and I expect better from yahoo.
i can see what you mean by “what makes josephs case so special.” its abit like how thousands of kids go missing everyear and what made the poor little girl madelines cse so specail tahts its been spread acroos our papers for a year and half.
i dont care what makes this perosn special everyone needs a mum and im more then willing to help.
x
wow, don’t be so bitter Clare. You should show some compassion (and in your case, empathy) for the boy and others like him who are trying to find their families. But if that’s too much for you, you should probably keep silent.
awww..hope he finds her..Good luck..
I can’t believe someone has made something as tasteless as a ‘game’ about real life tragedies.
I’m sorry, but I find it a bit sick that they are making a game out of a very real, horrific situation.
The war in Northern Uganda has torn many families apart, killed thousands of people, forced many more from their homes and ended up with thousands of innocent children being forced into life as a rebel soldier. I work frequently in this area and know many people who’s families have been affected in these ways.
I’m all for drawing attention to this situation – more people need to know about what has been going on there (and in other similar situations), but making a game is not the right way to do it and I feel chilled by this website.
Surely it is about raising awareness for the issues and all the many people suffering the same plight as Joseph? If that is the objective how on earth can we criticise? I know it is a strange way to do it but in today’s society there are so many causes and issues that you need to go for something different to draw attention to something. At the end of the day a game is harmless after all.
And how can we really criticise how much attention Madeline McCann got? It was only becasue society (ie: us) was obsessed by the tragedy that the media fired it up so much. And becasue her parents choose the pro-active media route instead of sitting at home dealing with their pain. We can’t criticise that choice. And some good comes out of it – I am sure child abductions are now much better prevented by parents and society alike in the wake of it all.
I agree. A game should not be made about this event, It is wrong.
Claire (first answerer) if you have not seen your sister then you should know what it’s like for Ugandan Joseph.
It’s great that he is looking for his mother… good luck
i think this game is a good idea it might make people understand the heartache and pain that some people go through to find lost family and frends those who critisise this game should get a life after all they do state it is only a game. it mite give a better profile fo the red cross and may help people who have lost someone
This is NOT real – its a game based on whats happening in Northern Uganda. Clare and others – what makes his case special (although it is not real, its a game) is that he has been involved in a war, where thousands of people have been killed, and many many children abducted into life being a rebel soldier. Families have had to abandon their homes, been split up and children left orphaned. I think its more than just a case of a missing child, or a long lost relative.
However, I still stand by my original statement that it is wrong to turn it into a game. There are far better ways to get the point across.
Hey everybody,
It’s great to see so many different opinions on this initiative – we just would like to clarify some points here.
Joseph is a character based on stories from real life and – unfortunately – is not at all a special case. There are thousands of people like Joseph all around the world whose lives are shattered by conflict. But all around the world, wherever you find people like Joseph, you’ll also find the Red Cross.
We’ve teamed up with the British Red Cross who have launched this “virtual” game to draw attention to the serious issue of reconnecting families and rebuilding lives. As part of it, they actively help people reunite with their families in warzones and conflicts areas.
The game has been designed and developed to bring awareness of these issues the British Red Cross has to deal with on a daily basis in the various conflict zones they are active on. It’s also a new and innovative way to educate people on sensitive issues affecting people in crisis, whoever and wherever they are – but that you will only learn if you play the game!
Thanks,
– Yahoo! UK & Ireland Answers team
The fact that they have labelled this as a “game” is a horrendous blunder on Yahoos part if this is really is some kid looking to be re-united with his family.
Disgraceful business.
Oh… just seen the last post… ignore me! : D
How do you get on the game ?
Hope this isnt just another scam where us Brits are paying something for somebody to have a laugh about it.
Its not like we are not already helping thousands of foreigner in our own country.
Charity starts at home i think, but a little help to everyone goes a long way.
Good Luck
joe kid i no how ya feel i havent seen my dad in 20yr am23 now, just hope u have more luck than what i did!
THIS IS JUST TOO SICK ON YAHOO PART LABELLING REAL LIFE TRAGEDY AS GAME, WHAT MAKES ME REALLY ANGRY IS THE FACT THAT WORLD BODY LIKE RED CROSS IS INVOLVED TOO. IT’S SUCH A SHAME THAT THERE LITTLE OR NO MORE MORAL LEFT IN THE WORLD AM SO SHOCKED.
Yes, I agree with the Yahoo team. There efforts are laudable. Myown view is “How else do you get selfish people to notice what is going on in the world without thinking about their own insignificant problems.
Clare I deeply sympathise with you, this initiative might actually help the thousands of people in your situation. It’s about re-unting families. No doubt you would not want anyone else to suffer in th esame way that you have, that’s what makes this little boy special.
To others quick to condemn the Red Cross and yahoo’s efforts: Perhaps you’d like to post on here exactly what efforts you have made to help these people other than spending yourtime criticising the work of others, at least they are doing something about it.
hi is this a game or is it true life please tell me im confused
To me this seems like some sort of Publicity Stunt to raise money to help him find his mother.
There are plently of children around the world who were orphaned very young, and have never seen their true parents, so what makes this kid any different?
If this kid gets this treatment, then everyone else who wants to find their parents should as well
Either give everyone everything they need, or let them work with what they have
I imagine a lot of people looking for their parents will be annoyed that this kid gets special treatment and they get nothing or very little.
It is actually quite a sound way of doing several positive things;-
1) Raising awareness of a matter in a format greatly used and understood in the west and
2) Honing the sort of skills needed to assist in real cases.
I’ve often seen similar “games” used in training personnel, in fact we used them quite extensively when I was trained in Forensics Science and Investigation and the success rate was very impressive.
It seems the Red cross have drawn on the model, and I suspect it will meet with considerable success in this area as well.
Hi,
I think this game is a good idea, the young generation (teenagers) use computers the most and most of their time on games, this game will help educate them, enlight them that some kids their age are actually forced into child soldiering, they have one choice be a rebel soldier or die, they watch their families die, their body parts are cut off by rebels while they watch in pain, they watch their mothers, sisters raped, they start to kill to survive. With the knife and gun problem eating away our teenagers maybe knowing that actually it isn’t cool at all to carry a knife or gun….these child soldiers lost their families because of the unnecessary wars but uk teanagers have a choice here, they have their families, they are more privileged than Joseph, follow the game see the suffering of these kids and their families and think before you carry a knife or a gun because if you do the person hurt might be your sister, your brother, your friend, or your mother, it could be someone close to you….get the message stop criticising the red cross and yahoo, they are doing more than you realise, they are not only helping Uganda and those war torn countries but the rest of the world and Uk in particular….LEARN and ACT.
IS THIS A GAME?
If so its sick! I am actually looking my mother who i have not seen for 18 years and only came on here becaus i thought i could get some info on how to trace her.
It’s VIRAL GAME produced by RED CROSS’ digital agency… It’s just supposed to make you think. Charities are finding it harder and harder to get donations from us now.. they have to try and be creative.
Why do you request for the date of birth when trying to register to play the game? is our personal data safe on the net?? clear that and i start to play immedaitely. my self I come from Uganda and am a former Humantarian worker with World Food Programme who has been to that region and Sudan so I fully know what this effort means and what the folks down there go face on daily basis.
See T&Cs…
http://www.tracesofhope.com/tnc.php
The objective is to reunite people seperated by conflict and to raise awareness of the issues involved. Whatever tools can be used to do this should be used. If this “game” helps to reunite people well good. However, that “You only learn if you play the game” hmmm something wrong with that
Good luck to all Joseph’s everywhere
Hear hear Milly
Wow what alot of view points. Right / Wrong guess we have to look at the bigger picture “What is the Red Cross trying to achieve” – I’d say publicity on what they do, on what is going on around the world. Yes, we know all about it from the news but Freedom of speech be it right or wrong, it’s allowed.
Sorry for you folk who have unknown relatives – guess you feel a part of you is in incomplete – just keep looking and re-ask ya family, someone is always hiding something.
As rubbish as it is at times, life a one big game, sometimes we can control it, sometimes we can’t – it’s not the cards you’re dealt but how you deal them -or something like that… Don’t look too deep into things, else you may get lost…
Wow that was my Friday after a couple of vodka’s – Guru Emma… Take care.
I think I would rather people play a game which raises their awareness of the humanitarian aid needed in the world and the role played by the red cross than one that glorifies gangster violence in L.A. or warfare as these themes seem to be the most popular right now
Daniel,
Why not this kid? You’re right – there are thousands of kids around the world orphaned, abandoned, traumatised and unloved. Realistically it’s not possible to take care of everyone of them. But where do you suggest we start? So what if it’s a Publicity Stunt? People are talking about it now. Maybe there is one person who can help one child. How is that a bad thing?
bravo John for such a constructive comment….last year i was reunited with my cousin who i had never met……and it turned out he really needed his father (my uncle) when he was growing up, his mother died suddenly when he was 8 and was left to his step- family who abused him for years, (he wasn’t even allowed contact with his mother’s reletive’s)….my family didn’t know anything of this until he made contact last year.
This is nothing compared to what some people in other parts of the world must go through, especially in war ridden countries. It needs some attention, and a game would bring it to the attention of the younger generation as well.
I cant understand how anyone can think this is a bad thing?!
My Stepdad was left as a baby, and then abandoned by his adoptive parents after having a child of there own.
He will always be like a dad to me, and we are his family. Yet he has no real family of his own.
I have both my parents so maybe I could have agreed with some of the ridiculous comments, but i have seen what not knowing your real parents can do to someone.
Iv seen a grown man cry because there isnt enough help out there.
So if Joseph has this chance and its his last hope then why shouldnt he do it??
Just think what he was gone through in his life?? All the questions? I know that many people in the same situation would do it if it ment finding there mum or dad.
He seems quite brave to me, to plaster his life all over the place in an attempt to find his mum. Thats not attention seeking, its a hope!!!
For all those who are putting this down, think about how you would feel not knowing your mum or dad! Your mother being the closest person to you in the world, the things u share. And never knowing her!
I hope Joseph find his mum, every1 has the right to know there parents, and im sure he is just trying to do anything he can!!
Good luck!!!
Deburs/Yahoo?BRC, I have seen the terms and conditions but I still do not think its necessary to provide date of birth, my friends and a relative have gone through hell coz some bustards stole their identity ( and am paying £7 every month to protect my self, which money should be going to charity)- I don’t want to ‘kill’ myself while trying to save others…….I need more convincing.
PS Red Cross and all charities are doing good work in humanitarian efforts. But it will go unappreciated at one point in time because no one is bothered about developmental programmes. Feeding and clothing someone in need on daily basis without equipping them to be self reliant is just prolonging the problem. Even in camps, people can be taught Mathematics and Physics but that not happening. Some people will even never open a yahoo mail account until they leave earth- people need to be empowered.
May be at Yahoo you can incorporate empowerment of the vulnerable in your Corporate Social Responsibility policy- the benefits? You will have more people having yahoo accounts (increasing your marketing portfolio of course), a more vibrant global village that has knowledge and power to do acts that will save the next generation, the list is endless.
And thanks for the Starbucks water waste story- we are swinging into battle!
Keep it up
thank you deburs
I think this is a genius idea I cant believe so many are objecting OK its a sensitive area to be making a “game” but anything that makes people stop and think about some of the things people have to go through on a daily basis in order to try and raise funds for these people can surely only be a good thing!
erm is this a game or is this a fun way to seach through archives and such to a better end of maybe finding a particular person, if it does it would surely only be the man power that makes it work and the game should dish out separate tasks to each individual.
imagine 50,000 people united in a investigation working in perfect harmony it could dwarf any investigation ever seen before and be free
so what is this?
I realise that thousands of kids go missing and therer are thousands of people suffering, but if playing a “game” can help just one of those people the why not. There is enough negatuivity in this world without people going out of their way to make more.
Well I couldnt give a toss about this. What a waste of time!!
…here comes another fantastically deceptive scheme dedicated to helping those poor africans living in the boondocks.
Another thumbs up and cheers all round for the thoughtful gestures and philanthropic goodwill selflessly distributed by the Great White Saviours.
Overturning the malevolent deeds of British imperialism with a make-believe computer game won’t undo the fact that 1/3 of Ugandans are dying from the AIDS virus, as a result of WHO sponsored innoculation programs which legitimizes genocide. It won’t undo the economic crisis affecting the entire African region, due to Anglo-American racist policies , which have sufficiently kept the African states in a permanent state of debt, while at the same time raping her of all her precious resources, so that some fat cunt living in the developed world can go have his Big Mac meals.
I love the way the media dumbs down the UK public with spoon fed portions of gratuitious bullshit, and allows them to play part time hero with pander-me-down displays of African joviality. Well, I just about seen enough “good-hearted” white folks coming into my community, who take on the role of Mother Teresa, to make themselves feel better, and unburden themselves from white man’s guilt.
It’s like Malcolm X said, “We don’t want your help. We can help ourselves, thank you very much.”
So fuck off, and stay out of our affairs.
It sounds like a typical email scam. First they get your interest in some sob story. Then they ask for personal information. And whamo, next thing is they are asking for money. I have had doctors, lawyers, bankers and even the FBI trying to scam me. It is despicable that now they hid behind the Red Cross Has anybody checked if the Red Cross actually have someone they are trying to help?
This list of comments, and others like it, is very interesting in what it tells us about the “average” contibutor who rushes in to give his/her opinion without first ascertaining the facts. A minority immediately ask “is this for real” etc but a large percentage jump quickly on their own bandwaggon and give their misinformed opinions EVEN AFTER THE TRUE FACTS ARE REVEALED ie, here, that Joseph’s quest is not genuine, that the whole purpose is to educate the public about the issue.
Few people seem to read the previous comments but simply jump in boots and all to give their own views. Thank Heavens this isn’t a mob incensed about an imaginery issue & intent on taking it out on the people they judge responsible. Reminds me of the ugly incident when a paediatrician was confonted by an angry mob which didn’t know the difference and thought he was a paedaphile!
Whoever came up with this idea needs firing immediately . . . . I have now made my search engine and home page Google.
well in a perfect world we would all be with our loved ones wish we could make it happen
Why is it insensitive to create a game about this? This has obviously been created to raise awareness about the plights the Red Cross have to deal with. I am going to give it a go – I’m sure I will learn something new.
I don’t see what the problem is. By doing some abstract, you can raise alot of awareness.
Pity you have to be over 15 to play.
ha he is playing the nintendo 64 i had that when i was 5 for god sakes get some money you popper
Although the subject of families torn apart in war torn countries,and the efforts to reunite them, may at first seem a strange subject for a video game, it is unusual enough to draw attention to the issue. Most young people these days are faced with horror on a daily basis in their own back yards. Knife crime in the capital, terrorist attacks, visions of violence and bad news every day on television.
Too much bad news sometimes makes you a little immune to the plight of others, and it is the human way to block a lot of it out, if we didn’t, it would overwhelm us and plunge us into utter despair. What happens in another country to other people is often hard to comprehend, and a lot of what occurs does not either get reported, or is ignored as part of the self preservation process.
It is often not lack of charity or feeling which is a stumbling block to change and help for others, but a genuine lack of knowledge about certain situations. We need to highlight these sort of issues in a way that is not only understandable for young people, but with a medium which is accessible and appealing, in a way that the evening news may not be. Young people these days are around video games often on a very frequent basis, and therefore this could possibly be a perfect medium to put across a message which might otherwise go unheard. Unconventional yes and although older generations may not agree, it is already working. For are we not all at this moment talking about it? We have understood the message that this game is trying to convey, and we are responding to it. Hopefully all generations will respond to it, not just the younger generation. Maybe, just maybe, some good will come out of it.
oh my God,he is not joking!.he is not the only one in that situation.I am a Liberian,28 yrs,since 1993 i have not seen any member of my family.Since my elder sister took me when war broke in our country.Now i can not find her anylonger,just living on my own,found myself somewhere in a town called Mbonge in Cameroun.We have too pitty Joseph.May God help him.
well,if its a game,we are ready to ride with him as long as it has got to do with mind developing ideas and fun to play.
i can see where clare is coming from but i think that josephs case is just helping people to do more for other peoples cases and rasing awarness for the others too not just joseph.
good luck! x
I think that if the game is helping joseph find his mother, we should play it, but if it is just a game about joseph’s lost mother-why? it says you will hear from joseph shortly and stuff but it is always the red cross isnt it?
Anyway-its the thought that counts.