"We could not be prouder to announce that
Takalani Sesame, South Africa's longest-running children's educational television programme, has been nominated for a 2023
International Emmy Award. We are absolutely thrilled with the nomination; it is a true validation of our efforts to teach and entertain millions of children," says Innocent Nkata, managing director of Sesame Workshop South Africa.
"An
Emmy nomination is no small feat and something we are incredibly grateful for," adds Nkata.
Takalani Sesame says that its mission is to help children grow smarter, stronger and kinder. The show promotes early childhood education while supporting South Africa's mother-tongue-based education policy with engagement:
- on television
- on radio
- in digital content
- in community, and
- in the classroom.
The 13
th season of
Takalani Sesame saw the friends learn techniques to help them cope with:
- 'Big Feelings'
- 'Belly Breathing'
- 'Counting to Five', and
- 'Drawing It Out'.
The show says that the season sought to help inspire children to think and talk about all the big emotions they may experience — whether it's feeling nervous, being too excited to calm down, feeling anxious in the face of a new situation or struggling to master a new skill.
The series is based on a curriculum supported by the Department of Basic Education and delivers educational content to children in several of the country's official languages through television, digital media and community outreach, working with:
- teachers
- parents
- community leaders in classrooms, and
- in homes.
The season was jointly made possible by generous funding from The LEGO Foundation and the Mai Family Foundation.
"We are excited that LEGO Foundation's partnership with
Takalani Sesame to promote the power of learning through play has received this momentous recognition," says Kerry Kassen, regional director of the LEGO Foundation.
"Children learn best through joyful and meaningful play, and
Takalani Sesame is a great programme to help children become creative, engaged, lifelong learners," adds Kassen.
The news follows a series of celebratory events for the brand. In September,
Takalani Sesame was awarded
Best Children's Program: South African Sign Language (SASL) and Inclusivity from Wits University's Centre for Deaf Studies (CFDS).
The award was given in recognition of
Takalani Sesame's role in promoting diversity, equity and inclusion by making the television programme accessible to deaf and hard-of-hearing children and families.
In August,
Takalani Sesame was also nominated in the 17
th Annual South African Film and Television Awards (
SAFTAs) in the
BEST CHILDREN'S PROGRAMME category.
The 51
st International Emmy Awards will take place on Monday, 20 November. Three of the 56 nominees from 20 countries hail from South Africa, with
Takalani Sesame being joined by South African nominees The Mandela Project in the
Short-Form Series segment and Two Sides in the
Sports Documentary category.
The 14
th season of
Takalani Sesame continues to help children deal with their 'Big Feelings' and airs on SABC 2 weekdays at 15:30. Episodes air in:
- English on Mondays
- isiZulu on Tuesdays
- Sesotho on Wednesdays
- Ndebele on Thursdays, and
- Afrikaans on Friday.
For more information, visit
www.sesameworkshop.org. You can also follow Sesame Workshop on
Facebook,
X or on
Instagram.