South Africa’s longest-running children’s educational programme, “Takalani Sesame”, is celebrating a great milestone following its nomination at the 14th Annual Kidscreen Awards in the Preschool Programming category.
The prestigious awards ceremony is set to take place in Miami, Florida, on 14 February 2023.
The Kidscreen Awards programme is a high-profile celebration of children’s content excellence paying tribute to outstanding TV and digital media work that keeps kids and families entertained.
Sesame Workshop, the non-profit media and educational organisation behind Sesame Street, has earned a total of 12 nominations at this year’s prestigious awards.
“Sesame Workshop is thrilled for our very own Takalani Sesame to be part of the 14th Annual Kidscreen Awards in the Preschool Programming category,” said innocent Nkata, Managing Director of Sesame Workshop South Africa.
“It is gratifying that the ground-breaking South African programme continues to be recognised as best-in-class in a number of areas, including the distinction of being the only South African kids program broadcast in English and four additional local languages (isiZulu, isiNdebele, Sesotho, and Afrikaans).”
Nkata added that the nomination serves as an acknowledgement of the difference that Takalani Sesame makes in helping millions of kids grow smarter, stronger, and kinder.
Launched in 2000 and based on the international children's series Sesame Street, “Takalani Sesame” is a multimedia initiative designed to convey educational messages on literacy, numeracy, and life skills to young children.
For over two decades, the show has managed to educate young viewers on issues such as HIV/Aids, bullying, identity and belonging, culture, gender, emotions and learning difficulties.
“Takalani Sesame is designed to support children’s development through the learning through play methodology by making learning interactive and fun we know this is what kids love.
The show has evolved from teaching children about letters, sounds and numbers. Our current season focuses on ‘Big Feelings’ when your emotions are so big and strong that they feel like they’re about to burst out of your body, such as anger, sadness and excitement.
“Our beloved muppets are helping children and their caregivers to identify Big Feelings, and the Sesame muppets also illustrate how caregivers and children can cope with these Big Feelings in constructive ways.”
Takalani Sesame was named the winner of the Intermedia-globe Gold Medal Award at the World Media Festival 2003, currently taking place in Hamburg, Germany.
Takalani Sesame's special HIV/Aids episode dedicated to World Aids Day won the award for outstanding children's programming in the children's category.
In 2021, the show was recognised as the Best Children’s Programme at the South African Film and Television Awards (Saftas).
The educational show has featured Mzansi’s A-listers, including Sho Madjozi, Holly & Mimi Rey, Farieda Metsileng, David Kau and The Goliaths, Jason, Donovan and Nicholas Goliath and special guests including Oprah Winfrey and Archbishop Desmond Tutu.
Catch season 13 of “Takalani Sesame” on SABC 1 from January 9.