Sesame Workshop is excited to announce that Takalani Sesame, the ground-breaking South African children’s programme that has educated and entertained children for more than 22 years, can now be enjoyed by an even larger audience, thanks to a new broadcasting partnership with e.tv.
From 10 April 2023, e.tv broadcasted the earlier adventures of the beloved Takalani Sesame stars – Elmo, Zuzu, Kami, Moshe, and Zikwe – giving young audiences an opportunity to catch up on the classical exploits and lessons from the beloved Muppets. The show will broadcast in English and isiZulu, Mondays to Thursdays at 2.30PM, with weekend repeats.
“The new partnership with e.tv to broadcast the much-loved, award-winning series is part of our new strategy to make the show available to children wherever they watch through multiple channels” said Innocent Nkata, Managing Director of Sesame Workshop South Africa, the nonprofit organisation behind Takalani Sesame. “Our mission at Sesame Workshopis to help kids everywhere grow smarter, stronger, and kinder. The media landscape in South Africa has changed dramatically over the last two decades, and our audience now has far more viewing choices and access to many platforms. It therefore makes sense for us to make Takalani Sesame accessible on as many platforms as possible, so that viewers can watch the series wherever they wish,” explains Nkata.
Takalani Sesame made its debut more than 22 years ago, and since then has gone on to become one of South Africa’s most successful brands for children, scooping the award for Best Children’s Programme at the 2021 South African Film and Television Awards (SAFTAs). Today, Takalani Sesame continues to be a leader in early childhood education and is steeped in the fabric of South African culture as the series supports the country’s mother-tongue based education policy. The show relies on in-depth research to creatively portray the challenges that children experience in a way that makes them entirely relatable and fun, through music, dance, and humour. Guest appearances by some of South Africa’s favourite celebrities over the years have added an extra dash of fun and excitement.
Samatolo Sihlezana of e.tv is excited about the new partnership with Sesame Workshop. “Takalani Sesame has been a cornerstone of South African early childhood education and entertainment for many years,” she enthuses. “We’re so pleased to be able to offer our audiences the chance to get to know – and love – the series’ iconic characters, while learning and having fun.”
“We are very excited about our new partnership with e.tv. It represents the start of an exciting era of expanded distribution for the show, and we can’t wait for our young audience to discover the magic, joy and fun of life with our beloved Muppets,” Nkata concludes.
About Takalani Sesame
Takalani Sesame is the ground-breaking South African children’s programme that has educated and entertained millions of children for more than 22 years. The programmehelps children get ready for school with high quality, low cost, research-backed, and play-based educational content accessible in several local languages through broadcast, streaming, digital and community outreach channels. Based on a curriculum supported by the Department of Basic Education, the content nurtures key early childhood developmental skills including literacy, numeracy, problem-solving, creativity, and socio-emotional learning – all critical skills for success in school and life. Takalani Sesame was named the Best Children’s Programme at the South African Film and Television Awards (SAFTA) in 2021.
For more information, visit takalanisesame.org.za
DID YOU KNOW?
Sesame Workshop is the non-profit media and educational organization behind Sesame Street – the pioneering children’s television show that has been teaching and entertaining children since 1969 – and Takalani Sesame, the South African adaptation launched in 2000. Today, Sesame Workshop is an innovative force for change, with a mission to help kids everywhere grow smarter, stronger, and kinder. We’re present in more than 150 countries, serving vulnerable children through a wide range of media, formal education, and philanthropically funded social impact programs, each grounded in rigorous research and tailored to the needs and cultures of the communities we serve. For more information, please visit sesameworkshop.org.
