Mohammed Osman Ali, a refugee in Uganda, is doing his best to make the best of a bad situation, setting up a business in…video games.
Scavenging old parts, hardware and games, and busting his arse to find out how they all worked so he could maintain them, he’s managed to establish an “arcade” in his refugee camp. By arcade I mean a single old PlayStation 2, which has been modified to hell and back and which has a copy of FIFA.
He’s not just making a living “renting out time” on the console (users are charged USD $US0.20c for ten minutes of play), but Mohammed also credits the machine with preserving his sanity, as five years in a refugee camp is enough to test even the sternest of characters.
Mohammed’s story leads an NPR report on refugees and work. You can listen to it here.
Comments
18 responses to “Refugee Makes A Living Using An Old PS2”
Bummer he only has FIFA. That would get old
Maybe we could rally together and send some new games? or even a new PS2?
That’s a lovely idea. I’m on board.
Wouldn’t it be better to get him out of the refugee camp?
Definitely, but we dot have the power for this unfortunately. I too am on board to help.
I have many games I can donate, and several PS2s for parts. I just have NFI how to find him or send them over there. If someone wants to take care of that, I can send the stuff to them! Hell, he can have the 3 YLOD PS4s I have too!
Yes and No. Maybe he’s there because he wants to help his fellow refugees and wants to return home? You’d need to understand his situation a lot more to know what he wants 🙂
Of course that would be great, but the challenges of getting that achieved are much harder for us gamers. I think we have better success in giving what gamers give best, our old gaming stuff we no long play or need.
This is a great idea! I know I have a fair few PS2 games lying around that I haven’t played in years.
Dejavu
USD $US0.20c for ten minutes of play => USD $4.80 for 4 hours of play.
That’s more than PS Now’s USD$2.99 price but he does have to maintain the console as well.
Supply and demand.
Plus I daresay electricity isn’t exactly cheap.
Usually they splice the wires and steal the electricity from the UN officials running the refugee camps. Saw a documentary on Foreign Correspondent about it.
I’m willing to help. Have around 10 ps2 games that I could give him.
Wow! Real life Tony Stark! Sure it’s not a rocket propelled battle suit, but I must remind you that was a fictional character. The same with with McGyver!
That dude is an absolute legend – I’m on board if anyone figures out how to send him stuff. I’ll buy him an Ouya or something that might help him.
he can take my ps2 and a wii if someone can get it over there
http://www.blackenterprise.com/lifestyle/arts-culture/ugandas-oldest-refugee-camp-owns-an-video-game-arcade/ this him? looks like it