kanduro:
Coming 2025
PURPOSE
The refugees in this game are not real people. The things that happen to them in the game cease to exist once you stop playing. The stakes are not high. If you fail to resettle your convoy, you can start another game. And another one. Then another one. You can start and restart until you achieve the best possible result: All refugees resettled. None lost.On the other hand, the consequences that real refugees face on their paths to resettlement are brutally real. Some are abused, both sexually and physically. Some are robbed. Some are killed. Some die from exhaustion, dehydration, or other causes. Many don’t make it. In fact, Amnesty International estimates that just 0.5% of refugees successfully resettle. That doesn’t mean 99.5% die. Some get sent back home. Some live in a state of flux, bouncing around from country to country.
So while it is cause for celebration when refugees do receive amnesty, there is a dark side. Many refugees suffer from psychological trauma that can last for years or even a lifetime. Some have difficulty learning new languages and finding jobs in their new homes. Some can’t even find a home to live in.
Refugees experience things that most of us cannot begin to fathom. So can we even try to fathom it? And should we?
Yes, we can absolutely try. And I believe we should. When developing Kanduro, our intent was to create a believable world that you could immerse yourself in for 30 or 40 minutes at a time. While the world may look simple, there is depth. Read the top secret documents from the United Republic. Read Jata Okorie’s journal. Read the newspaper clippings. Do they feel far-fetched? Do they seem impossible? They are not. Each one is based on true events.
As you play, look at the refugees in your convoy. Learn their names. Familiarize yourself with the map and the blurbs about all the countries. And if you enjoy the music, listen to it in the background.
We have tried to make the world of Kanduro as life-like as possible. In the media, refugees are often referred to as a massive, faceless group. They are, however, individual people with individual lives. They have unique interests and skills. Each refugee has their own personality. Their own values. Their own passions. Their own name.
Treat decisions in the game like you’re making them, not for some ethereal name on a card, but for yourself. Imagine you are actually the one that has to make this decision. Imagine the results can have drastic effects on the lives of you and people close to you.
What would you buy when you have severely limited funds? Do you take a safe route, even though it takes longer, or are you afraid of running out of time? Perhaps you think it’s better to risk taking a shorter, more dangerous route. Are you prepared to deal with the consequences if things turn out poorly? And would you be prepared to deal with those consequences if they were actually happening to you and your loved ones?
What is Kanduro?
The country of Kanduro is in crisis. The United Republic, Kanduro’s neighbor to the east, is ruled by a genocidal dictator with a powerful army. The U.R. has declared war on Kanduro and warned neighboring countries about harboring Kanduran citizens. The war has destroyed homes. Food and water are scarce. Brave Kanduran citizens are planning their escape to Bengeruk. But getting there is a dangerous journey with danger at every step.
Some countries in the region are willing to re-settle a limited number of refugees. Others fear the consequences that the U.R. could impose on them if they are caught accepting refugees.
Bengeruk is the only country that will re-settle any Kanduran citizen who makes it into the country. There are several routes to get there, each with unique risks.
About the Game
The goal of Kanduro is to serve as an educational tool and show how difficult a refugee’s journey to asylum can be. Kanduro is a fully-cooperative game. Players work together to determine the best path forward for their convoy of refugees. Resources are shared by everyone playing, so players must agree on the best ways to utilize their money, time, and supplies.
Players must also agree on which route to take. Most of the time, there will be two choices. Shorter routes may have fewer resources and more dangers. Longer routes might be safer, but they will take longer, and the convoy may not make it to Bengeruk in time.
Resources and routes will change throughout the game, so players must continually discuss what to do next.
Decisions can be brutally hard, and the journey can come to a sad and abrupt halt.
Some predicaments have remedies. For instance, you may be able to save refugees in your convoy from a capsized boat if you have purchased lifejackets. However, if you encounter armed forces or border guards from the United Republic or one of its allies, your convoy will be detained, and the game is over.
Ending the Game
Kanduro features 24 route cards. Each one represents 1 turn. Routes to Kanduro range between 16-20 cards/turns.At various points of the game, you might lose “time,” which means you lose 1 card. The game is over if you run out of cards to play before your convoy makes it to Bengeruk.
Examples of the route cards can be seen below. Each one has 3 paths: Land (solid), Water (large squares), and Mix (small, connected squares).
Participants will play 1 card at a time, attempting to line up the proper route. If the player does not have a card that lines up the appropriate route, the convoy must make a decision: take time to regroup and plan a new route (lose a turn); or take a risk and try to push through (draw an O/X card).
O/X cards feature events that can derail - or even end - your journey. “O” events can cause you to lose resources or refugees, but the game will always continue. “X” events are much more dangerous. These represent significant obstacles along the journey and often have devastating effects.
Along the journey, you’ll encounter traders willing to sell you supplies, smugglers, who make lofty promises in exchange for large sums of money, and refugee camps where you can add someone to your convoy. You may even come across items that previous convoys have left behind that you can add to your supplies.
The ultimate goal of the game, Kanduro, is to re-settle all members of your convoy. It is possible to do this before making it to Bengeruk because a handful of other countries will be willing to re-settle 1 or 2 members of your convoy.
But if you can maintain your original convoy - or attract more refugees to your convoy along the way - you will need to go all the way to Bengeruk.
Plan your resources, choose the best routes, and lead your convoy to safety.
The game will feel unfair, harsh, and even shocking. As you play, remember that the content of the game is based on documented events.
Our goal is to celebrate the strength, fortitude, and resilience of refugees by presenting a brutally honest, somber “game.” We hope it will cause you to think about things you may not have previously considered and have a new appreciation for refugees.
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O/X cards feature events that can derail - or even end - your journey. “O” events can cause you to lose resources or refugees, but the game will always continue. “X” events are much more dangerous. These represent significant obstacles along the journey and often have devastating effects.
Along the journey, you’ll encounter traders willing to sell you supplies, smugglers, who make lofty promises in exchange for large sums of money, and refugee camps where you can add someone to your convoy. You may even come across items that previous convoys have left behind that you can add to your supplies.
The ultimate goal of the game, Kanduro, is to re-settle all members of your convoy. It is possible to do this before making it to Bengeruk because a handful of other countries will be willing to re-settle 1 or 2 members of your convoy.
But if you can maintain your original convoy - or attract more refugees to your convoy along the way - you will need to go all the way to Bengeruk.
Plan your resources, choose the best routes, and lead your convoy to safety.
The game will feel unfair, harsh, and even shocking. As you play, remember that the content of the game is based on documented events.
Our goal is to celebrate the strength, fortitude, and resilience of refugees by presenting a brutally honest, somber “game.” We hope it will cause you to think about things you may not have previously considered and have a new appreciation for refugees.
