Rooted in Reality: Simulating Life on the Edge of Extreme Poverty

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Ever wondered what life is really like for families living on the edge of extreme poverty? Most of us have only seen poverty through statistics or images, but a new immersive experience called "Rooted in Reality" is changing how we understand this complex reality.
When a team of college students traveled to Sierra Leone to develop this groundbreaking poverty simulation, they discovered something profound. People experiencing poverty don't define their situation primarily by their lack of material resources – they define it by feelings of powerlessness, inferiority, and hopelessness. "We feel like garbage that other people throw out," one person shared during a World Bank study. "We don't matter to the world and it is our destiny to be poor."
This mindset revelation transformed the team's approach. Rather than creating a simulation focused solely on material deprivation, they crafted an experience that plunges participants into the emotional reality of poverty – the impossible choices, the systemic barriers, and the cumulative stress of living without safety nets. During beta testing, participants emerged feeling "incredibly stressed" and "very anxious," gaining valuable insight into the psychological toll of poverty.
What makes Rooted in Reality uniquely powerful is its authenticity. Every scenario is based on real stories gathered from families in Bo and Freetown, Sierra Leone. The team worked closely with case managers at the Child Reintegration Center and staff at Mercy Hospital to ensure the simulation honored the dignity of these families while accurately representing their challenges. As team member Cassie Robertson explains, "It's not pretending you can understand someone else's reality, but creating a space to reflect on those hard

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Travel on International Mission, meet local leadership and work alongside them. Exchange knowledge, learn from one another and be open to personal transformation. Step into a 25 year long story of change for children in some of the poorest regions on Earth.

https://www.helpingchildrenworldwide.org/mission-trips.html

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A bible study for groups and individuals, One Twenty-Seven: The Widow and the Orphan by Dr Andrea Siegel explores the themes of the first chapter of James, and in particular, 1:27. In James, we learn of our duty to the vulnerable in the historical context of the author. Order here or digital download

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Family Empowerment Advocates support the work of family empowerment experts at the Child Reintegration Centre, Sierra Leone. Your small monthly donation, prayers, attention & caring is essential. You advocate for their work to help families bring themselves out of poverty, changing the course of children's lives and lifting up communities. join

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Organize a Rooted in Reality mission experience for your service club, church group, worship team, young adult or adult study. No travel required. Step into the shoes of people in extreme poverty in Sierra Leone, West Africa, Helping Children Worldwide takes you into a world where families are facing impossible choices every day.

Contact [email protected] to discuss how.

Shout out to our newest sponsor: The Resilience Institute

Support the show

Helpingchildrenworldwide.org

Kapitel

1. Introducing Rooted in Reality Simulation (00:00:00)

2. Understanding Poverty Simulations (00:06:38)

3. Learning Before Serving: Project Origins (00:11:04)

4. Village Visits: Experiencing Sierra Leone (00:27:10)

5. Defining Poverty in Sierra Leone (00:36:12)

6. NGOs as Partners, Not Saviors (00:51:02)

7. Education, Empathy, and Engagement (01:04:27)

8. Taking Action and Finding Hope (01:15:52)