our approach in action
There's a method to our magic. Grounded in research and guided by our mission, it plays out daily across countries, cultures, and channels.
Sesame Street was founded in 1969 to give disadvantaged children the same opportunities as middle-class children.
Big Bird and curious little minds, 1969.
Today the show is popular with children and families from all walks of life, but our commitment remains the same: to address the educational needs of children through our potent combination of media and Muppets.
Big Bird and curious little minds, 2011.
We do this through our shows, as well as through numerous educational outreach programs that make a direct impact in particularly vulnerable communities.
Abby Cadabby draws
smiles in East Harlem.
Our outreach initiatives go beyond the power of television to bring lessons about ABCs and 123s, health, and emotional wellbeing into the hands of families and preschoolers.
Furry friends bring comfort and joy to military families in Arlington, Virginia.
By following children’s educational needs, Sesame Street has stretched across more than 150 countries worldwide.
Children in India with Chamki, a local Muppet.
From Colombia to China, Muppets and media hold the same power to draw a giggle and educate in the process.
A child in Indonesia makes a new purple-haired friend.
To reach children in different parts of the world, we might create a new local program from Sesame’s essential ingredients: Muppets, media, and our research process.
Egyptian girls meet Khokha, a Muppet from the Egyptian version of Sesame Street.
That means creating Muppets to address pressing local concerns — like Khokha, a lively role model for girls’ education in Egypt.
Khokha tells girls they can be lawyers or doctors … or astronauts.
Or Kami, an HIV-positive Muppet who’s thriving in South Africa. She provides a life-affirming antidote to the stigma that accompanies HIV/AIDS.
Kami tells children it’s OK to touch someone with HIV.
Wherever the need takes us, we aim for local relevance and sustainable impact. Our collaborations get pretty hands-on, from writers’ workshops to training local puppeteers in our furry magic.
Indonesian puppeteers get their Muppet on.
Our local focus is also at work here at home. Super Grover 2.0 was especially created to spark children’s interest in science and math — areas in which U.S. students are falling behind.
The making of a super hero.
We started on TV 40 years ago, but our approach to media is ever-evolving. The power of Muppets translates to technologies old and new, whether it’s community viewings in rural villages or streaming video on cell phones.
Sesame Street makes a house call to one of India’s urban slums.
We’re always breaking new ground to reach digital natives on their home turf, working in collaboration with the pioneering research and innovation lab, the Joan Ganz Cooney Center.
A little learner gets face to face with a Sesame Street iPad app.
None of our efforts would be possible without support from our friends, both at home and around the globe.
The First Lady Michelle Obama and Dr. Jill Biden lend a helping hand.
We are proud to count many luminaries, world leaders, and other inspired individuals among those who support our work.
Former archbishop Desmond Tutu with Oprah Winfrey and friends at our annual fundraising gala.
Over the years, we’ve joined forces with foundations, governments, and corporations who share our vision. These partnerships strengthen our efforts while helping us bring new initiatives to life.
PNC CEO Jim Rohr and former Workshop CEO Gary Knell kick off our financial education initiative.
