Baalty Scores Big in Cairo
Summer 2009

Children of all ages, all over the world love computer games.  But while children like to play games, it is not uncommon in many countries for children to have to work to help support their families.  Many of these children don’t have time for games.  But Baalty is a different kind if game.

Baalty means My Shop in Arabic; it is an on-line computer game that teaches small business skills, entrepreneurialism, and micro-loan management.  The game and contest are aimed at the very children whose poverty makes it necessary for them to work.   By putting business skills into an appealing game format, children are given a head start in the game of life.

In 2009 a Millennium, Canada team in Egypt provided the web hosting and administration for the contest.  Children from all over Egypt entered into the game and were separated into four groups.  First, boys and girls were divided into separate groups, then theses two groups were divided by age: 12-15 year olds and 16-18 year olds.

Based on their game scores, three finalists from each category were selected from different areas of Egypt.  They went to Cairo for the finals, be held November 18, in al-Azhar Park. The winner in each category received the first prize; a Sony Netbook computer.  All finalists also received gift certificates from a major restaurant chain in Egypt.

The game has been so successful that Millennium in Cairo has had requests for a Spanish version of Baalty for use in Central America.