i LOVES SISIMPUR!

CHANNEL i NOW AIRING BANGLADESHI SESAME STREET INTERNATIONALLY 

DHAKA, Bangladesh and NEW YORK, New York, March 3, 2008
Bangla-speaking children in the Middle East, the United Kingdom and North America now have the opportunity to meet the beloved Muppets from Sisimpur, the award-winning Bangladeshi adaptation of Sesame Street. The first season of Sisimpur, consisting of 52 half-hour episodes, now broadcasts internationally on cable Channel i on Saturdays at 6PM and Sundays at 4:45AM Bangladesh time (equivalent to Saturdays at 7AM and Sundays at 5:45PM New York time).

“We are elated to extend the incredible, educational adventures in Sisimpur to Bangla-speaking children around the world through Channel i- providing them with a program that is educational, engaging and culturally-relevant,” said Sara Zaker, Project Head, Nayantara Communications. “Sisimpur’s popularity and impact has grown more rapidly than we ever could have dreamed, and with Channel i’s support, will continue to flourish and encourage more children than ever to reach their highest potential.”

Sisimpur is designed to meet the needs of 3- to 6-year-old Bangladeshi children across social classes and living in different regions. The program’s educational objectives are developed in collaboration with Bangladeshi educational advisors and outline a range of skills that advisors deemed particularly important to children in Bangladesh. Sisimpur embraces the concept of joy in learning, highlighting lessons in literacy and numeracy, as well as health and respect in ways that are fun and engaging. 

Subscribers to Channel i in these regions now have the opportunity to meet Halum, a tiger who enjoys playing and laughing, even when things go wrong; Shiku, a curious jackal who comes from a long line of clever family members; Tuktuki, an extroverted 5-year-old girl who enjoys being helpful but is usually doing ten things at once; and Ikri Mikri, an affectionate 3-year-old who tries to do things by herself but doesn’t always succeed.

A recent national survey of over 7,000 children in Bangladesh revealed evidence of the program’s positive impact: Children who watched Sisimpur regularly demonstrated basic literacy and math skills that were equivalent to children who were one year older and had no exposure to Sisimpur.1 Another study in Bangladesh examined the educational impact of the show, and found that children who viewed Sisimpur showed measurable gains in vocabulary, cognitive skills, and cultural knowledge, compared to children who viewed a commercial cartoon.2

Acclaimed as one of the leading educational and entertainment Bangla channels, Channel i currently reaches children in rural and urban regions of Bangladesh, as well as Bangladeshi children living abroad. Previously, Sisimpur aired solely in Bangladesh and terrestrial channel Bangladesh Television (BTV). Sisimpur’s third season continues to air on BTV. 

Sesame Workshop, the nonprofit educational organization behind Sesame Street and Sisimpur, works with Nayantara Communications, who produces Sisimpur in Bangladesh with world renowned puppeteer Mostafa Monwar serving as the series’ Chief Creative Advisor. Sisimpur is sponsored by Unilever’s leading health brand, Pepsodent, and receives generous support from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).

Contact

Eeshita Dey
Asiatic Communications (in Dhaka)
01713191334
eeshita@asiaticjwt.com

                          

 
1 Associates for Community and Population Research (2007). 2006 Follow-Up (Wave 1) Evaluation of the Reach and Impact of Sisimpur. Dhaka, Bangladesh: ACPR.
2 Research and Computing Service. (2006). The Educational Impact of Sisimpur: An Experimental Study of Children’s Learning. Dhaka, Bangladesh: RCS.
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