Galli Galli Sim Sim Project
Research indicates that educational inputs early in a child’s life have a direct and profound bearing on the child’s educational, social and life outcomes, and benefit society at large as a result. The first six years of a child’s life are globally acknowledged as the most critical years for lifelong development. (Shonkoff & Phillips, 2000). In India, four in five preschool children have no access to quality early childhood education inputs. (UNESCO, 2003). We aim to address this need with Galli Galli Sim Sim - an early childhood educational initiative that harnesses the power of media to provide access to engaging, high quality, educational experiences and have an impact on children’s educational and developmental outcomes.
One pillar of the Galli Galli Sim Sim project is a locally produced television series based on the world-renowned Sesame Street. Galli Galli Sim Sim premiered in August 2006 and is now broadcast on three leading channels in India – Doordarshan, Cartoon Network and POGO. It reaches approximately 22 million viewers across urban and rural India. GGSS promotes cognitive and socio-emotional development through joyful learning. The show stars a group of Indian Muppets – Chamki, Googly, Boombah, and Aanchoo – and features animated segments and live-action films, with music, stories and art drawn from various elements of Indian culture and regions of the country. In addition to early literacy and math skills, the show fosters values such as empathy, appreciation of differences, and a sense of civic responsibility. In the upcoming season, there will also be a renewed focus on promoting good nutrition, hygiene, and healthy habits.
The second pillar of the project is a strong community outreach initiative that extends the project’s reach and impact. The reach of the show is further extended to the marginalized and underprivileged populations through outreach initiatives. The outreach program is designed to work on a mass and local level through mobile “community viewings” to reach the largest proportion of children and caregivers, and the introduction of facilitated educational modules in local balwadis. Each module focuses on a specific curricular area and contains innovative and fun learning materials for the children, teaching tools for the caregivers and resource materials for the center. Additionally, we build capacities of the caregivers in the use of our materials and train them in creative teaching methodologies.
Educational content is produced and distributed through training opportunities, books, pamphlets, posters, educational games, and electronic media. These resources, directed not only to children but parents and caregivers as well, are designed to benefit even those who may not have seen the television program. We draw on partners and existing networks of community-based organizations, NGOs, and government agencies to help create and distribute the materials.
Galli Galli Sim Sim Project Impact
Galli Galli Sim Sim is quickly becoming a mainstay in India’s effort to reach its most underserved populations. The show is already rated among the top five regularly watched children’s shows in India (from field of 90 mentioned children’s shows) and its outreach efforts have already reached over a quarter of a million urban children who belong to deprived populations and more than 100,000 caregivers through a combination of mobile community viewings and balwadi (child care center) based interventions. The mobile community viewings of Galli Galli Sim Sim have reached one out of three caregivers and two out of three preschool children in targeted slums. Galli Galli Sim Sim is present in balwadis where 95% children belong to lower socio economic groups and have limited or no access to educational toys and materials at home. A survey conducted six months after dissemination of the Galli Galli Sim Sim educational kits to balwadis showed that more than half of all balwadi caregivers surveyed use GGSS materials frequently: at least once a week. In four out of every five balwadis, Galli Galli Sim Sim material is also prominently displayed on walls and tables. Summative evaluations of Galli Galli Sim Sim are beginning to document educational impact among children and caregivers. Findings from these evaluations have indicated that-
• Children with greater exposure to Galli Galli Sim Sim on television, show greater improvement in literacy and math outcomes over time, relative to those with less or no exposure. This impact is particularly pronounced among young children and among children from underprivileged backgrounds.
• Among caregivers in intervention slums, participation in Galli Galli Sim Sim community screening activities is significantly associated with more progressive attitudes towards early childhood education.
• Exposure to mobile community viewings is associated with higher viewership of the television show among both caregivers and children, thereby creating a consistent flow of educational inputs to slum households.
Balwadi teachers who used Galli Galli Sim Sim materials at least once a week in their classrooms are also more likely to have positive attitudes towards early childhood education in general and towards their role in particular
Sesame Workshop has partnered with Turner Entertainment Networks Asia to produce the television show. Sesame Workshop India manages the Galli Galli Sim Sim initiative in India and spearheads all outreach projects. Michael and Susan Dell Foundation (MSDF) is the primary funder of our outreach activities; seed funding for outreach was also provided by Turner.
Who we are
Sesame Workshop is a nonprofit, educational organization making a meaningful difference in childrens' lives around the world. Founded in 1968, the Workshop changed television forever with the legendary Sesame Street. Today, the Workshop continues to innovate on behalf of children in 120 countries, using its proprietary research methodology to ensure its programs and products are engaging and enriching. Sesame Workshop is behind award-winning programs like Dragon Tales and Sagwa, The Chinese Siamese Cat and ground breaking multimedia productions in South Africa, Egypt and Russia. As a nonprofit organisation, Sesame Workshop puts the proceeds it receives from sales of Sesame Street, Dragon Tales and Sagwa products right back into its educational projects for children around the world. Find the Workshop online at www.sesameworkshop.org
Sesame Workshop India is a nonprofit organization registered in India spearheading the Galli Galli Sim Sim initiative. In addition to the popular television series, our mission is to extend the reach and impact of Galli Galli Sim Sim to populations most in need. We develop high quality innovative content across multimedia platforms, build capacity of caregivers and educate them about the importance of early childhood development, and conduct intensive research to monitor and evaluate our content and process. For more information please see – www.sesameworkshopindia.org
Turner International India Pvt. Limited, a part of the Time Warner Group, operates CNN and the two leading children’s Television channels, Cartoon Network and POGO in India. Turner International identified and pioneered the need for educational pre-school programming in India and launched a special block for preschoolers in 2003. Taking a step forward in this direction, Turner has partnered with Sesame Workshop to create an Indian adaptation of the globally acclaimed preschool series Sesame Street for India’s children called Galli Galli Sim Sim, a show that will gear them better for school life.
Partnership opportunities
To ensure that Galli Galli Sim Sim reaches as many young children and their care-givers as possible it is broadcast on the national public broadcaster, Doordarshan, in addition to Cartoon Network and POGO. The show is watched by more than 25 million children, aged 4 to 14, as per TAM Media Research data for the period 1st January to the 8th of September 2007. This makes Galli Galli Sim Sim the most watched children’s show.
Turner is looking for partners from the public and private sector to sponsor Galli Galli Sim Sim. Besides linking up with a very worthwhile cause of spreading awareness on the importance of early childhood education, there is a 360 degree opportunity for sponsoring Galli Galli Sim Sim consisting of on-air advertising, licensing, public relations, on ground promotions and outreach.
Please visit http://www.sesameworkshop.org/aboutus/involved_sponsors.php for more information about International companies that sponsor Sesame Street.
For more information on partnership with Galli Galli Sim Sim please contact Saurabh Singh at +91 9811666136 |
