“Hunger Games” challenges. But unlike the films directed by Francis Lawrence, there are only food prizes to be won and even the losers are entitled to sugar, vegetable oil, lentils or rice. Nice rewards for the inhabitants of the small village of Chapra, in the northwest of Bangladesh, many of whom live in poverty, explain the organizers. The food allows families to last several days.
The games are reminiscent of those at a fair, with the idea that everyone has fun. “Look at her funny reaction when she plays,” emphasizes the concept’s creator, Omar Sunny Somrat in a video recently posted on Instagram.
View this post on Instagram
A post shared by Md. Omar Sunny Somrat (@somrataurangzeb)
The man who presents himself as an influencer on social networks had the idea of creating the “SS Food Challenge” in 2022. At that time, the rise in prices in the country, caused in particular by the war in Ukraine, been particularly difficult for the population.
A system financed by clicks on videos
The Bangladeshi currency has lost nearly 20% of its value against the dollar, making imports much more expensive. The government had to put in place food subsidies to regulate the price of food.
Faced with the difficulties of the population, Omar Sunny Somrat decided to adapt the competitions that he had already set up in the villages for children. Instead of winning material prizes, he offered food to the inhabitants. The videos then posted on social networks allowed him to earn income thanks to clicks and monetizations.
With more than 4 million subscribers on YouTube and 600,000 on Instagram, the content creator tells CNN he earns between 35,000 and 45,000 dollars per month (between 32 and 42,000 euros). A turnover that he uses to employ a team of 25 people, finance the games they organize as well as the prizes he wins.