There is a new digital project named the SUPER ASHA video game that is spreading attention in India due to its extraordinary approach of highlighting true life based challenges and duties of ASHA workers.
The game created by a group of young designers and healthcare activists enables players to enter the role of an ASHA (Accredited Social Health Activist) worker and see what she goes through in her day both in visiting homes and dealing with crises in rural and urban areas.
A combination of captivating gameplay and the use of emotion driven narration, SUPER ASHA is intended to teach the player the significance of community health workers and motivate one to empathize with and appreciate their efforts.
A Game Rooted in Reality
Asha in the SUPER version, unlike traditional mobile or console games, is a game that revolves around realism.
The player gains the role of a devoted healthcare professional called Ashafield, who is working on professional issues, and personal problems do not leave her alone.
She goes on missions to visit pregnant women, make sure that children are vaccinated, create awareness of hygiene, and respond to health alerts in her village.
Every level represents a real-life situation where ASHA workers find themselves in their day to day duties, including resource allocation, breaking social stigma, and persuading families to adhere to the correct medical practice.
The game is based on interactive storytelling, voiceovers, and local languages to provide a realistic and immersive experience.
Players are forced to make immediate choices as well, such as deciding whether to go to a village meeting or run to a mother in labor.
The decisions affect the course of action in the story and show players how important ASHA workers are in the Indian healthcare system.
An educational design is one of the strongest aspects of the game. As the players go through the missions, they are also informed about government health programs, vaccination campaigns, and maternal care programs.
This combination of learning and gaming assists in the spreading of awareness in an exciting and amusing manner.
Digital storytelling is a powerful approach to empowering others
The makers of SUPER ASHA have made the game in honor of the one million plus ASHA workers in India who form the foundation of health efforts in the community.
Most of these women go out for long hours, sometimes under difficult circumstances, when they want to provide basic healthcare to families in remote areas and proper information.
The developer of the game provided information that the concept was conceived through observation of how ASHA employees had to cope in the pandemic with delivering medicines, surveying, and misinformation.
Transforming their jobs into a virtual game, the team aimed to make people see how seriously they were working and how many emotional and physical loads their job took.
Gender equality is another goal of SUPER ASHA, and it illustrates women as the key actors in the health of communities and their development.
The game also has inspirational quotes, progress rewards, and real-life tales that remind the players about the strength of these women.
Moreover, the developers have maintained accessibility. The game can be downloaded on simple smartphones, and it is presented in various regional languages, and thus both rural and urban customers can easily play the game.
The players also have the opportunity to post their progress to social media, which will serve as the means to make people aware of ASHA workers and the critical role they play in society.
The very foundation of the SUPER ASHA video game is not only entertainment but also a sensitive project that connects the world of technology, compassion, and education.
The game recreates the day to day life of an ASHA worker, and thus it motivates individuals to look beyond numbers and to really realize the human effort that has made the Indian primary healthcare system run.
The sensitive design and heartwarming plot make SUPER ASHA a successful attempt at transforming a mere video game into the potential weapon of social consciousness and reverence.
It teaches us that the heroes, at times, do not have a cape on them but instead have a blue sari on hand, with the medical kit attached.
