Peace Corps

• Subject(s): Language Arts & Literature, Social Studies & Geography, Cross-Cultural Understanding, Science, Mathematics
• Grade Level(s): 6–8, 9–12

Overview

As a Peace Corps Volunteer assigned to the village of Wanzuzu, students playing the Peace Corps Challenge game are faced with many challenges they must solve using realistic solutions. In this challenge, players learn that the Ministry of Finance is offering a new microfinance program that will offer a small business loan to one lucky villager. The player must visit the marketplace and interview community members and ultimately help decide which project should get the loan.

Background Information

Factoids from the game:

"Microfinance" is the building of financial systems that serve poor populations. Source: Consultative Group to Assist the Poor

In most developing countries, the majority of the population are poor, but it is the poor people who are the least likely to be served by regular banks. Microfinance addresses the needs of those in the population with little money. Source: Consultative Group to Assist the Poor

Peace Corps Volunteers working on business issues focus on increasing family income, improving the environment for businesses, educating young people, and helping businesses find markets for traditional products. Source: Peace Corps

Procedures

Explore the Microfinance WebQuest

Play the Microfinance Challenge (Flash)

Additional Resources:

Coverdell World Wise Schools:

• Lesson plan: Starting Your Own Business (Grades 3-8)
  Students learn about a small poultry business project with youth in the Caribbean nation of St. Vincent. After viewing the slideshow, students engage in a math investigation in which they plan their own fictional poultry businesses.
• Slide show: Explore Back-Country Peru
  Kurtis Shank served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Peru, in South America. His primary assignment was to work with the community to develop small businesses, with an added emphasis on information technology.

Other Sources:

• Grameen Foundation: Frequently Asked Questions About Microfinance
• United Nations: Redefining Microfinance as a Strategy to Achieve the Millennium Development goals

Framework and Standards

Enduring Understandings

• Small businesses play a large role in the health and sustainability of a community.
• Access to microfinance opportunities can have many positive effects on a community.

Essential Questions

• What role do small businesses play in the economic health of our communities?
• What are some distinguishing factors between successful and unsuccessful small business ventures?
• In what ways can microfinance opportunities affect underserved communities?

Standards

Social Studies:

Thematic Strand IV: Individual Development and Identity:

• Individual choices influence identity and development

Thematic Strand V: Individuals, Groups, and Institutions

• Institutions are created to respond to changing individual and group needs
• Concepts such as: competition, cooperation, and role

Thematic Strand VII: Production, Distribution, and Consumption

• How choices involve trading off the expected value of one opportunity gained against the expected value of the best alternative
• That banks and other financial institutions channel funds to borrowers and investors
• How markets bring buyers and sellers together to exchange goods and services

Thematic Strand IX: Global Connections

• The causes and consequences of various types of global connections
• The actions of people, communities, and nations have both short and long term effects