Michael and Susan Dell Foundation
and Sesame Workshop
The Michael & Susan Dell Foundation provides major funding for Sesame Workshop India’s educational outreach efforts in India.
In keeping with their vision to transform the lives of poor urban children through education and childhood health initiatives, the Michael & Susan Dell Foundation generously supports Sesame Workshop India’s efforts to reach underserved children in India.
The Foundation provides key funding for a mobile outreach program that leverages Galli Galli Sim Sim’s online, on-screen, and print educational materials to increase the television program’s impact. These outreach efforts include mobile community viewings of the show using repurposed vegetable carts equipped with televisions, DVD players, generators, and themed educational materials for children and caregivers. These viewings target children living in the impoverished urban slums of Delhi, Mumbai, Calcutta, Chennai, Bangalore, and Hyderabad.
The children who gather excitedly around the mobile carts to watch DVD replays of Galli Galli Sim Sim episodes are also given educational materials, including literacy and math activity sheets to help build their cognitive skills. Their caregivers received training and information sheets to help them expand on the show’s learning opportunities. In Delhi and Mumbai alone, these mobile viewings reached more than 55,000 children and 19,000 caregivers in 2007.
Through the outreach program, Sesame Workshop India also introduces educational materials to local child care centers called balwaadis. In 2007, trained teachers equipped with themed outreach kits reached 13,000 children in 347 balwaadis.
As Galli Galli Sim Sim quickly becomes a mainstay in India’s efforts to reach its most underserved populations, its outreach program is surpassing initial targets. The Michael & Susan Dell Foundation will be eagerly watching the results as the wonderful characters of Galli Galli Sim Sim continue to educate and entertain.
