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Problem Statement

African cultural heritage is exceptionally rich, diverse, and deeply rooted in oral traditions, lived spaces, rituals, and symbolic practices. However, in today’s increasingly digital world, this heritage remains largely absent from the platforms where collective imaginaries are now shaped—particularly video games, immersive environments, and interactive digital media.

Although African youth are highly engaged with digital technologies, the cultural content they consume is overwhelmingly produced outside the continent. Existing digital heritage initiatives often rely on static formats (archives, databases, exhibitions) that fail to capture sustained attention or encourage active participation.

As a result:

  • Younger generations struggle to connect meaningfully with their cultural history
  • Communities lack effective tools to valorize their heritage within the digital economy
  • Africa’s cultural narratives remain underrepresented in emerging immersive spaces

This disconnect weakens intergenerational transmission, limits cultural sovereignty, and reduces opportunities for social, cultural, and economic value creation in fast-growing interactive and immersive industries.

Proposed Solution

MvetQuest: Immersive Cultural Exploration Through Play

MvetQuest is a mobile-based, immersive cultural exploration platform designed to preserve, transmit, and valorize African cultural heritage through play, storytelling, and real-world exploration.

Rather than relying on passive content consumption, MvetQuest transforms African cultural spaces into interactive learning environments by:

  • Integrating real-world exploration of cultural sites with mobile gameplay
  • Delivering contextualized narratives and symbolic knowledge tied to specific locations
  • Allowing users to collect digital cultural artifacts rooted in authentic histories and traditions
  • Building a virtual universe inspired by African cultures, where knowledge is earned through exploration
  • Engaging youth through interactive, immersive, and game-based experiences rather than static archives

Cultural Integrity & Community Ownership

MvetQuest is developed with a responsible and culturally grounded approach. The platform collaborates closely with:

  • Local cultural custodians
  • Artists, historians, and storytellers
  • Community institutions

This ensures:

  • Authentic representation of traditional knowledge
  • Respect for cultural norms and meanings
  • Community ownership over narratives and digital cultural assets

Expected Impact

By embedding African culture into contemporary digital practices, MvetQuest:

  • Empowers youth to actively engage with their heritage
  • Enables communities to generate sustainable cultural and economic value
  • Repositions African narratives at the center of immersive and interactive digital spaces

MvetQuest transforms cultural heritage from a passive memory into a living, playable, and evolving digital experience.

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