At first I thought this story was pure baloney, but when I saw that it came from the BBC, I decided to check it out.
Freerice.com is a free trivia game helping to feed hungry people around the world. The game gives you a word, and you have to select the correct definition out of four choices. Every correct answer rotates the advertisement on the page, and the advertisers have agreed to donate ten grains of rice with each impression.
Started in 2007 by computer programmer John Breen as a way to prepare his children for college, the site now receives 40,000 visitors daily and has ratcheted up enough rice to feed four million people for one day.
Nancy Roman, director of communication for the World Food Programme, said, “Freerice is making internet history. It’s a stellar example of how a fun and simple idea can harness the internet’s potential to contribute to the world’s most pressing global issue – hunger
Freerice is preparing to release apps for the iPhone and iPad. They are also seeking to integrate with Facebook. Recently Freerice has been going through an upgrade, adding more categories for even more fun.
This is a great story, and hopefully the added exposure to the game will allow even more food to be donated to such an important cause. And it’s really addicting! Plus, it counts up your rice donation, and I promise you’ll learn some great new vocabulary!
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