Our vision is to help young people around the world to develop their mental and physical health and give them the opportunity to reach their full potential!
Having grown up in a developed country, I had a carefree childhood and youth in a safe environment
Accordingly, later as a young woman I was able to realise my vision of learning a profession with young people
I only became aware of the fact that this is not the case everywhere in the world in the course of my international professional work: The directly experienced extent of sexual violence, teenage pregnancies and HIV among young people moved me to become active and initiate ageappropriate sexual and reproductive health promotion.
For this to be successful, it must go beyond imparting theoretical knowledge and relate to the life situation of young people:
Playful and realistic learning experiences in a real environment, accompanied by professionals and offering space for questions, are just as important as directly accessible digital media prepared in a playful way.
With LOVE LAND, we combine these elements and help young people make a safe transition into adulthood. However, this is only possible with the support and commitment of other people and organisations.
We are therefore extremely grateful for the constantly intensifying cooperation with organisations that support Taboobreaker in its vision!
JP VUILLEUMIER Director Taboobreaker association
The first time I had the pleasure to learn about LOVE LAND the boardgame is now some time ago.
As an experienced startup coach, the need and potential of LOVE LAND was clear to me from the beginning.
Hence I started to support Karin in her endeavour to help young people make a safe transition into adulthood.
When I joined Taboobreaker in 2019 as Director, we decided to transform the boardgame into a mobile app in order to make the highly valuable content available globally.
My extensive expertise in finance and entrepreneurship has shown to be helpful to move the project forward, despite the difficult fundraising situation. Furthermore, we were able to attract highly respected advisors and partners to support us. Our advisory board members, the cooperations with UCT (University of Cape Town) and Costello Medical are good examples
But most importantly the skilled and fully engaged work of our game design team and freelancers have made the impressive progress possible in 2022.
We are impatiently looking forward to launch our market ready app early in 2023 Stay tuned.
JP VUILLEUMIER the App
App testing by game design students of the University of Arts Zurich (ZHdK)
For the second time, a number of students evaluated or Love Land app regarding navigation, game flow, content and balance of learning and fun under the lead of Prof. Ulrich Götz,
The detailed feedback of the students and the intercontinental exchange between game designers (Switzerland and South Africa) was not only highly interesting for both parties, yet also highly valuable for the further development of our app.
Two students of the ZHdK are even considering to visiting our game design team Loud Rabbits in Cape Town and to volunteer for the further development of the Love Land app for a certain amount of months
JANUARY – MARCH 2022
Background work and optimisation of our multi-channel program
A special attention in 2022 we laid on the optimisation of our multi-channel program
This also included the re-recording of certain voices:
All our voices were coached by our Voice Over Director RUBEN ENGEL
Comedian SHIMMY ISAACS in action while recording the voice of the FOGG and the FOGGLETS, the antagonists in the app trying to keep SRH education a taboo
Indie from Cave Man Island needs some refreshed vocabulary in English, French and Afrikaans
At the same time, the animations were revised, the intro story of the app was shortened and the music was newly composed
No leader - no progress! The entire optimisation was excellently organised and co-implemented by our Lead Developer
CHLOE MALLOWS, LOUD RABBITS
All the animations were created and optimized by our Lead Animator
KARLA WASSERFALL, LOUD RABBITS
To support the ambience of Love Lands island better than ever before, the music was newly composed by our Sound Leader
MICAELA LOUBSER, LOUD RABBITS
And last but not least, the audio recorded languages in the app were integrated into the app by our Multimedia Designer
GLENN GROENEWALD, LOUD RABBITS
The WALKIE TALKIE has been newly implemented in the app after we received several feedbacks from players that they miss a "cool solution" for general advice and support while playing.
The WALKIE TALKIE seems to meet the high expectations of the younger generation and we think it's great too.
Not only does it add to the fun of the game with its tongue-in-cheek hints, but it is also a gender-neutral character, which we find very important.
In addition to the optimisation of our app, we are very proud to present a huge milestone island here: HIV is still a big taboo and one of the worlds most concerning health issues. People living with HIV still experience a lot of stigma and prejudice
We have therefor developed the RED RIBBON CITY ISLAND which aims to support young people living with HIV in living a good life and knowing their rights, as well as to reduce the stigma around this disease. This island will be released in early 2023
After several workshops with young people living with HIV and interviews with HIV experts, we created two characters with two completely different biographies and lives, yet still sharing the same destiny. Meet YAO and Franck here:
Watch the bio videos of YAO and Franck on our website: www lovelandgame org/characters/yao/ www lovelandgame org/characters/franck/
Highlights
On RED RIBBON CITY ISLAND the gamer meets Franck and YAO who need the gamers help.
The gamer is challenged to find information that is relevant for the mental and physical health of YAO and Franck
All information found is collected in the diary of the gamer.
The mini game at the end of the island game is the proof of knowledge: in this game, the gamer has to distinguish between correct and incorrect statement-stamps for YAOs and Francks concert passes.
Highlights
Love Land – the board game is our icebreaker in SRH education workshops with young people
As the app is growing and including more and more topic islands, the board game needed a basic refreshment and adaptation of topics. We used this opportunity to also establish a French version in addition to the English version
In addition, we adapted the Q&A cards: instead of three possible answers we limited it to two answers, which enhances the flow and the logic of the game.
In 2022, Taboobreaker Association and Costello Medical embarked on a partnership on pro bono base to evaluate the impact of the Love Land app for a range of audiences.
Social Return on Investment (SROI) is an outcome-based framework that enables organisations to understand, quantify and monetise socio-economic value.
For the Love Land app, the SROI analysis is a useful tool to demonstrate the health and economic impact
Costello Medical will develop such a model for the Love Land app, with the following objectives and potential uses:
• By quantifying the value of Love Land's non-monetary outcomes, the Taboobreaker Association can demonstrate to potential funders the breadth and depth of the app's impact. .
• The model can be updated to forecast the impact of future activities, e.g. adding new tiers
• or expanding beyond the South African framework; it can become an important internal decision-making tool
• The Taboobreaker Association can compare SROI metrics for different stakeholder groups to identify where further support is needed
• The impact maps can be used to visually represent how the Love Land app is creating value for its stakeholders and can be integrated into promotional materials.
In addition, Costello Medical will also provide us a Cost-Effectiveness Model (CEM).
Naman Kochar Senior Analyst Pro Bono Division
Abigail Lampkin Analyst Pro Bono Division
Love Land made it into the Swiss Federal TV
In August 2022, a correspondent of the Swiss Federal TV (SRF) visited us for a documentation for the SRF TV format 10vor10.
We took the opportunity to release the app version 2.0, available in the Google play store and iOS store and had young people test the app while we looked over their shoulder with the camera and then interviewed them about the app.
Watch the documentation here (with English subtitles):
Isn’t this game a bit boring as there is no shooting?
Why do you think this game is helpful?
Appointment of Lee-Ann Van Rooi as Director of Taboobraker SA NPC
WELCOME LEE -ANN!
We are very pleased to announce that we have recruited Lee-Ann Van Rooi for the position of Director of Taboobreaker SA NPC.
Lee-Ann has been in the professional entertainment industry for over 18 years and is an award-winning, multi-talented actress and producer, working in various mediums including film, television, stage and radio both locally and internationally.
An avid storyteller, puppeteer, teacher, writer and director, her interests and skills are diverse, innovative and imaginative. She is also passionate about supporting young people on their journey into adulthood and giving them the opportunity to fulfil their potential
With Lee Ann, we have found a director who fully supports the values and goals of Taboobreaker
Find out more about our team and board members : www.taboobreaker.org/our-people/
Co-hosted hybrid symposium with the University of Cape Town
For the second time we participated , at the Digital Health Week, initiated by Transform health in October 2022 in the form of a hybrid symposium with and at the University of Cape Town.
Why an app for SRH education?
The aim of the symposium was to present the topic "Why an app for SRH education?" to an interested audience, presented both by people from UCT who are involved in the Love Land study and by people from the scientific advisory board of the Taboobreaker association..
Over 300 participants!
This event gained the interest of international people and organisations from the fields of SRH education, HIV prevention, digital health, education, social work, psychology, child protection, ,foundations, potential corporate partners world-wide, as well as potential foundations that could fund the app
Our event in numbers:
40 in person participants 260+ virtual participants
Highlights 2022
Love Land in the German TV Deutsche Welle
In October 2022 a freelancer working for the Deutsche Welle, a German public, state-owned international broadcaster, visited us in Cape Town while we hosted a workshop with young people for the development of a new topic island for gender-based violence prevention. Watch the video here (in English)
Sex education can be an awkward thing for a teenager. But in South Africa, a new smartphone app is being developed with that in mind. Love Land aims to counter online misinformation about sex and dispel taboos that teenagers can encounter.
«Whether female, male, transgender or intergender: Gender-based violence affects all young people!»
Conclusion of workshop with gender-mixed young people
From beginning on, the Taboobreaker association has focused on an international, evidence-based approach regarding the development of Love Land:
Based on the International Technical Guidance of the UNESCO, the Taboobreaker association has developed the multi-channel program of Love Land.
The multi-channel program of Love land consists of three mediums: a mobile app, a dedicated website and a physical board game. They all have the aim to be globally applicable and to reach young people directly
The multi-channel program of Love Land has the aim to serve the SDGs, with a main focus on poverty reduction, fostering good health and wellbeing as well as the enhancement of gender equality and quality education.
Our solution in 2022
Each medium of the multi-channel program has its specific benefit:
Globally, smartphone ownership is growing exponentially; also in low-income countries
The app therefore enables direct outreach to young people via smartphones.
The app is free and contains no in-app purchases
The website is the extension of the App and provides additional information on sexual and reproductive health education, presented in engaging and easy comprehensible tutorial videos. The videos also aim to reduce stigma and foster mutual tolerance and respect.
They are suitable for young people as well as adults working or looking for information in the field of SRH education
The board game has so far been used for workshops in youth organisations run by the Taboobreaker association. The board game can be played with groups of up to 30 participants
The interaction provided by the game creates a lot of space for direct dialogue and addressing taboo issues with and among young people
Make
Love Land combines learning with fun and makes the gamer a hero by helping fictive characters in need.
Love Land – the app consists of 9 topic island so far. Each topic island includes one game level (knowledge). In future, the app will include 15 topic islands with 3 learning levels each (knowledge – communication skills – negotiation skills)
Index of topic islands and goals:
The website is the extension of the app and offers a variety of additional information on Love Land - and of course - as in the app, all content is entertaining and educational at the same time.
Want to know more about mental health after playing You-be-You island? Are you curious about the anatomy of the reproductive organs?
Check out our tutorial video library: all you have to do is pressing the play button.
www.lovelandgame.org/video
Jada has had her first menstruation. Like many other girls, she is a bit insecure and proud at the same time. And how convenient that the tutorial video on Love Land answers exactly the questions she doesn't dare ask anyone!
www.lovelandgame.org/islands/rubyisland
Meet Franck and find out how he contracted HIV, what he struggles with in his life and how he is confronted with HIV and the huge global stigma around it.
www.lovelandgame.org/characters/franck
The board game is the icebreaker in our workshops - both for young people and adults.
It aims to discuss the complex topics of SRH education directly with young people in a playful manner, and to promote the Love Land multi-channel program, especially the app and website to young people.
Find more information on the board game here: https://taboobreaker.org/love-land/
Randomized controlled trial of the Love Land app
The Department of Psychology at UCT is one of South Africa's leading research departments. Its staff have enormous expertise in various fields and have published important studies in national and international journals.
Development of SROI and CEM model
Costello Medical provides scientific support to the healthcare industry in the analysis, interpretation and communication of clinical and health economic data..
Hlengiwe Sacolo Post-doctoral fellow Social Science
University Cape Town
Analyzing the app and game design
The Game Design Department at ZHdK focuses on the culture, research and design of interactive games.
Joint workshops in the field of SRH education
The Justice Desk is a non-profit human rights organization working in South Africa, Zambia and Zimbabwe.
Transform Health is a coalition of organizations working for equitable digital transformation of health systems. So far, Taboobreaker Association has participated twice in the Digital Health Week initiated by Transform Health and is an official partner of Transform Health.
In order to expand our multi-channel program and to reach a larger audience we will focus on writing foundation applications and cooperation requests with potential corporate partners such as hygiene or condom brands. A detailed overview over our funding needs can be found under “Funding opportunities”.
Based on our latest achievements, our website needs to be adapted with appropriate content and a refreshed design and look and feel
In addition, the website will include information on our extended program offering that will be developed in 2023
order to reduce the amount of data in the Love Land app to an absolute minimum, we will convert the audio files into a new, lighter solution.
This solution serves to make Love Land downloadable also for young people with a smartphone with less data capacity
After we received several inquiries for sexual and reproductive education training from South African NPOs supporting young people on their journey, the Taboobreaker association decided to enhance their multi-channel program with a Train-the Trainer program, including all the medial elements of Love Land. So far, the Train-the-Trainer program focuses on the support of adults in SRH educational with young people in SSA countries.
Trainees
• Engaging and empowering adults in SRH education
• Direct impact on the lack of SRH teaching and learning materials
• Student-centred approach and professional pedagogical guidance
Integration of internet based courses with modern teaching and learning methods (e.g. tutorial videos)
Young people
• Direct reaching of young people
• Increase of Love Land App downloads
To further challenge the gamer, we have built the FOGG Challenge Island.
Here, after completing all the islands, the gamer can test the acquired knowledge again by playing against the FOGG. The FOGG is the antagonist on Love Land and sends out its fogglets to keep everything SRH education related taboo
Once completed the FOGG challenge, the gamer gets an own island “My Island”. With points earned the gamer can convert them into gadgets for "My Island”
Ultimately, it is not a secret that a reward system has a great impact on young people's motivation to learn.
Taboobreaker has therefore decided to set up a reward system in the app.
In a first step, the reward includes building a personal island (My Island) in the app after successfully completing the topic islands
In a second step, Taboobreaker aims to offer real rewards such as airtime/data or vouchers for hygiene products (via QR codes) by means of donating corporates.
So far, the gamer can choose from three different avatars: a boy, a girl or a androgynous person, with whom they navigate through Love Land and play
Everybody is welcome and safe on Love Land!
For 2023, we are planning an avatar system that will allow players to create a customised character that includes LGBTQI attributes and different skin colours, along with further cool and fancy accessories. Avatars are an important tool to promote diversity, inclusion, identity, tolerance, safe experimentation and accessibility.
We are aiming to develop a second level for the Red Ribbon City Island which focuses on communication skills, such as:
• Respectful vocabulary and communication
• Communication opportunities regarding help and support
• Promotion for stigma reduction
Initial ideas have been sketched already, yet the funding for this island is still in discussion.
Formal documentation of young people playing the app and giving feedback
Two Master students of the University of Cape Town, under the lead of Prof Dr. Catherine Ward, will evaluate the Love Land app with students and write a report on the data collected This will help us to specifically improve the Love Land app based on evaluated data
Feedback from participants on the Train-the-Trainer pilot course with adults working in youth and health. Two Master students from the University of Cape Town, under the lead of Prof. Dr. Catherine Ward, will evaluate the Train-the-Trainer pilot course initiated and delivered by the Taboobreaker team
The evaluation report will be crucial for the further development of the methodological-didactic level as well as the industrialisation of the trainer box, which contains 3D teaching material, learning videos and a manual
Before presenting our funding opportunties just a quick reminder of the funds so far raised and used to reach the outcomes we have so far.
Since the decision in April 2019 to develop the original board game into an app, we have received CHF 0.518 million by the end of 2022, from foundations (Dorave Foundation, Lotte and Adolf Hotz Foundation, Lotti Latrous Foundation) and donors.
In addition, we won a tender from Costello Medical to develop a Social Return on Investment (SROI) and a Cost Effectiveness Model (CEM), for the equivalent of approximately CHF 150’000. The two models will be helpful for future funding requests.
After the outbreak of COVID-19, a great deal of funding was reallocated to COVID measures, significantly slowing our progress due to resource constraints, the same can be observed since the start of the war in Ukraine.
In order to keep our well functioning and extremely talented game design, both Karin Stierlin (initiator) and JP Vuilleumier (director) have decided to completely waive their salaries from the beginning of 2021 until today.
for Love Land – Topic Island and/or Languages
Fund one of the islands mentioned below or let us know which island you would like to have developed with your funding.
Or fund a new language for all the existing islands
The missing Island topics are listed below:
Funding
So far, 9 topic islands with one level, Knowledge, have been developed. The goal is to develop 15 islands with 3 levels in total. The picture below shows the overall concept of the App.
LEVEL
LEVEL 2
Communication Skills
LEVEL 3
Decision Making Skills
Amount CHF 1 Mio. CHF 1 Mio.
Use of funds
Run rate
Level 2 for 15 islands additional languages
Marketing & social media campaigns in target countries
12 months
Level 3 for 15 islands additional languages
Marketing & social media campaigns in target countries
12 months
Use of funds
The Train-the-Trainer (TtT) aims to support adults in SRH educational outreach with young people in Sub-Sahara Africa (SSA) countries. The TtT is currently in the pilot phase in South Africa and is being scientifically evaluated by students from the University of Cape Town.
The Train-the-Master program aims to support adults in SRH educational outreach with young people in SSA countries. The Train-the-Master program builds on the TtT and enables interested trainees who have successfully completed the TtT and gained practical experience to train as MASTER trainers. They are then qualified to conduct Train-the-Trainer programs themselves. The Train-the-Master program is in the concept phase and still needs to be developed.
-Optimization of the program based on feedback by UCT
-Industrialization of program
-Production of the program materials
-25 workshops in Southern Africa, including Travel and Accommodation
-Development of the program
-Pilot Testing of prototype
-Optimization of the program
-Industrialization of program
-Production of the program materials
-5 workshops in Southern Africa, including Travel and Accommodation
“Thank you for supporting us and helping young people to safely transition into adulthood by breaking the taboos around SRH with access to education and skill development such as Love Land does!”