Showcasing USAWA at Guildford Games Festival: What We Learned

Last week, Jiwe Studio exhibited USAWA at the Guildford Games Festival in the UK, engaging with teachers, students, developers, and education leaders.

Our goal was simple:

-To understand how interactive storytelling grounded in African histories resonates in UK classrooms.

The response was encouraging — and revealing.

Immediate Reactions

Several educators and students engaged directly with the experience.

Students who played through the game wrote:
“Loved the message.”

Multiple visitors commented positively on the art style and visual direction.

More importantly, teachers immediately identified classroom applications, including:

1.History lessons
2. IT Clubs
3. Black History Month programming

This immediate contextualization signaled something critical: that the concept translates.

A Clear Gap in the Classroom

Across conversations, one theme emerged consistently:

Teaching difficult histories is challenging.

Not because educators lack interest — but because they lack structured, confidence-building tools that allow sensitive subjects to be explored responsibly.

Many teachers rely on familiar materials because they reduce risk.

There is limited interactive content that addresses African histories in ways that are both engaging and institutionally viable.

USAWA resonated because it offers a designed learning experience — one that educators felt could support discussion rather than complicate it.

We intentionally build for that balance.

Institutional Conversations

The exhibition led to discussions with:

1.Representatives connected to a Surrey school trust
2.UKIE’s Digital Schoolhouse
3.University for the Creative Arts (UCA)
4.Social impact and mental health partners
5.Independent game developers and pitch advisors

These conversations reinforced that USAWA operates at the intersection of games, education, and ethical storytelling.