Games for Change

There is a whole sub-genre of games out there specifically to teach global issues of importance.  For example, Half the Sky Movement has a game to teach about women's empowerment, and the World Food Programme has a game about food production and distribution. 

Why haven't you heard about these?

Well to be honest, they're quite boring.  You can't shoot things and watch them explode, you don't really get to defeat an opponent or kill monsters, you can't really win or lose in any meaningful way.   You learn about the issue by manipulating avatars or resources and making decisions, and every few levels they ask you if you'd like to donate money (it's never really clearly explained what a "level" is, although sometimes when you finish one you get more stuff, or a sponsor donates money to the cause in your name). 

Is it possible to design a game with meaningful, educational content that's actually worth playing?