There's a dire shortage of medical facilities in the Western African nation of Liberia, a problem compounded by a lack of transportation and infrastructure. Many pregnant women must walk hours to reach a clinic, and roadside births are unfortunately common as a result. Save the Children is raising money to build six new clinics in the country, and that's where Clinic Craft comes in: It's a Minecraft -driven campaign raising money in support of that effort.
After constructing a model medical clinic in Minecraft last week, builders Dan Maher and Chris Doney challenged other Minecrafters to do better—and more importantly, to support the Clinic Craft effort. The blueprint Maher and Doney used for their creation is available to anyone seeking inspiration, but they encouraged prospective builders to go wild with their designs.
"We know you're not fans of having your creative vision limited, so we want you to let your imaginations run riot to embellish your virtual clinics with whatever extras you want. You might even be rewarded for it," Doney says in the promo video. To that end, prizes including Minecraft Lego, plush toys, a Creeper mug, t-shirts, lanyards and stickers are being offered for the best designs.
Virtual clinic designs are being accepted until September 26, but while the Minecraft clinics raise awareness of the situation in Liberia, money is what actually brings about real-world results, and that's really the point of this whole thing. Donations may be made at Clinic Craft or directly to Save the Children, and dedicated supporters can even set up their own fundraising pages. Full details are up at Cliniccraft.com .
