New Delhi, January 18, 2024: Howard Delafield International (HDI), a leading woman-owned team integrating behavioural insights, commercial expertise, and emerging technologies, hosted Gamechangers' 24 in New Delhi. The event shed light on the substantial impact of the USAID-funded award-winning game, Go Nisha Go, on knowledge and behaviours among 15–19-year-old girls, aiding them in realising their full potential.
Go Nisha Go, downloaded by over 300,000 adolescents, highlights the impact of choice-making. The game covers negotiation, menstruation, consent, contraception, and delaying early marriage in an engaging and interactive way, gaining notable attention.
Access to 26 partners providing in-game information and resources, coupled with the ability to make choices and observe outcomes, led to a substantial impact on knowledge, self-efficacy, and intent. This was confirmed through a gold standard randomized control trial (RCT) conducted on games. Aparna Raj, HDI's Research Lead, unveiled the results of a large-scale research trial among approximately 2000 girls in Patna, Jaipur, and Delhi — regions with high rates of early marriage and pregnancy.
The research, conducted by Population Council Consulting, showcased notable improvements for girls who played the game. Those who participated were at least twice as likely to possess comprehensive knowledge of modern contraceptives. Fertility awareness, understanding the menstrual cycle and pregnancy window, increased by 119%. The intention to seek help for contraceptive and menstrual-related issues was higher among players by 132% and 115%, respectively. The results also indicated a higher ability among players to seek health advice and buy menstrual products online, demonstrating the effectiveness of the Direct-to-Consumer (DTC) approach. Notably, confidence in controlling the timing of marriage, negotiating contraceptives, and giving consent was also significantly higher.
Dr. Susan Howard, Co-founder of HDI and professor at George Mason University, shared her insights, "Fun and interactive games can activate the motivation to learn, simulate conflicts, and allow players to experience choices in a safe place. Games can nudge players to explore in-game resources, try products, and stimulate confidence in real life through successes and failures within the game."
Kavita Ayyagari, Country Director India, added, "Go Nisha Go is available for free on the Google Play Store, with over 300,000 downloads to date and an impressive consumer rating of 4.5. The game incorporates a user-friendly chatbot (AskParo) and connects users with a curated selection of 26 products and services. These resources have been clicked over 754,000 times, and the chatbot has received over 200,000 messages."
Speaking at the event, Dr. Zoya Ali Rizvi, Deputy Commissioner, National Health Mission, Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, Government of India, emphasised, "Go Nisha Go represents a significant step towards empowering adolescents and young people with knowledge that extends beyond the virtual world."
Go Nisha Go received accolades in 2023, winning the best serious game by Games and Learning Alliance in Dublin, Ireland, and the 'Best Learning Game' at the Games for Change Festival in New York City.
