Sesame Street Heads to Nigeria

ABUJA/NEW YORK: Sesame Workshop is developing a new version of the long-running children’s series Sesame Street to bring messages about staying in school, girl’s empowerment and HIV/AIDS to Nigeria.

Sesame Street Nigeria (working title) is made possible through a five-year grant from the American people through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) to create 78 30-minute episodes for the series and supporting outreach materials, as well as conduct research to evaluate the program’s impact. 

The first season, “We Can,” will focus on empowering children to aspire to be anything they want and encouraging them to stay in school. The episodes will portray community participation in the learning process and infusing time for play, fun and creativity in kids’ lives. Season two, “We Do It Right,” will highlight honesty and integrity, courtesy and coping with mistakes. Episodes will incorporate themes of mutual respect and understanding and gender parity. “We Live Here,” the third season, will focus on community activities that reflect the importance of culture and caring for the environment. There will also be a continued emphasis on respect and understanding.

Sesame Street Nigeria is an extension of The Adventures of Kami and Big Bird pilot outreach project that launched in Nigeria earlier this year.  

"Introducing Kami and Big Bird to children in Nigeria lies at the core of Sesame Workshop’s mission to foster respect and understanding through the power of media and beloved characters from Sesame Street co-productions,” said Naila Farouky, the producer of Sesame Street Nigeria. “It is our hope that the series will make a strong impact among Nigerian children and their families to prepare them for school and life, as well as help them understand HIV and AIDS and acquire a foundation to overcome prejudices and stigmas associated with the diseases.”

Ayobisi Osuntusa, an educational content specialist for Sesame Street Nigeria, added, “In Nigeria, where the number of individuals directly affected is high and educational resources extraordinarily limited, we are hopeful and excited about the opportunity to lay an educational foundation for all preschoolers, preparing them for school and life.”