In Harm's Way: Oxfam America's Game on Rethinking Natural Disasters

Oxfam America's interactive game, In Harms Way, is designed to help raise awareness of the causes and consequences of disasters, as well as the positive ways that communities can work to lessen the impact. The planning kit provides step-to-step guidance in how to conduct a role-playing game, including a script designed for two speakers. According to Oxfam America: "All players should be encouraged to use their imaginations, to move about, and to interact with each other as much as possible."

Specifically, the speakers guide four groups of players representing different communities and groups of the fictional country of Takshadam after a cyclone has hit. The four groups are the government, a local aid organisation called Takshadam Agency for Food Security (TAFS), residents of Remotali Province, and residents of Metropoli Province. The decisions the players make and the way the four groups interact determine whether people live or die and whether they can save their animals, homes, and other property. Newsflashes, announced by the speakers, move the game along at a fast pace. Cards representing supplies of food, water, and shelter are designed to allow the players to feel a sense of security - or loss. During a discussion period at the end, players describe how their groups handled the disaster and explore steps they could take to prepare Takshadam better so that the next storm does not result in a disaster for the country. Players come to understand the importance of planning to reduce their risk and vulnerability in the face of disasters.