|
|
Meet Kami, as Takalani Sesame launches its second season with a new Muppet
living with HIV.
 Moshe,
Zikwe, Zuzu and Neno-they're back and they've got a new friend. Kami, a Muppet
living with HIV. Kami is a lively, friendly and an active participant of the
community, and will be engaging in Takalani Sesame adventures when the second
season debuts on 30 September this year.
KAMI
Kami is a healthy HIV-positive character who is affectionate, articulate,
literate and great fun to be with! She is emotionally and intellectually
intelligent, displaying a level of wisdom and insight that goes beyond what
might be expected of a 5-year-old. She has a wealth of accurate information
about HIV/AIDS. She is a little shy at times and tends to observe rather than
join in immediately. However, when approached by someone in a friendly manner
she opens up quickly, easily and joins in with great enthusiasm. She loves life
and nature and has a remarkable ability to see the beauty in objects and to find
creative solutions to problematic situations.
Takalani Sesame
Takalani Sesame is a multi media and multilingual educational project, which
comprises television, radio and community outreach, is designed to support the
reception year (Grade R) component of the Department of Education's Curriculum
2005. The series is specifically targeted at the 7 out of 8 young children who
have little or no exposure to formal Early Childhood Development (ECD)
programmes, and is made possible through a unique partnership of private,
government and non-government organisations.
The project incorporates an innovative curriculum created by South African
educators, child development experts, scriptwriters, and filmmakers to encourage
children to develop a positive self esteem and self image, to respect and
appreciate others, to celebrate South Africa's diverse culture, to develop basic
skills with letters and numbers, and to encourage a life-long love of learning.
Targeted to children aged 3-7, Takalani Sesame's lessons are illustrated through
humor, music, fantasy and daily life situations.
The primary educational goals of presenting a regularly appearing Muppet
living with HIV to the Takalani Sesame family are to promote age appropriate
messages concerning the humanization, de-stigmatization and acceptance of people
living with HIV and to open discussion about issues such as coping with illness
and loss. Takalani Sesame will help promote an understanding that HIV is a
virus; that people cannot determine that other people are HIV-positive just by
looking at or touching them. Kami's name is derived from the word
"acceptance" in Setswana, which carries with it a sense of belonging,
hope and optimism. In addition to the "street" scenes, HIV and AIDS
will be addressed in the animation and live action segments of the multilingual
television show.
The 104-episode, half hour television series will launch its new season on
South African Broadcasting Corporation's SABC 2 on September 30 and will be
extended to broadcast on SABC 1 from 4 November.. Takalani Sesame Radio, with
100 twelve-minute episodes, will also debut on September 30 and air 3 times
weekly on Ukhozi FM, Umhlobo Wenene FM, Thobela FM and Motsweding FM in the
language of the station, ensuring that young children are effectively reached in
their mother tongue. The new season will ensure that Takalani Sesame will be
broadcast continuously until the end of 2005.
In addition to the television and radio programmes, Takalani Sesame also
commissions several outreach activities intended to drive the effective
utilization of the media broadcasts, deepen the educational impact of the
series, and provide key resources to early childhood development programs.
Outreach consists of a series of integrated activities that focus on training
and the development of educational material and the provision of equipment. The
goal of these activities will equip educators, caregivers and families with the
knowledge, skills and values that will enable them to use multiple media to
foster the growth and development of the children in their care. In the coming
season of Takalani Sesame, the number of outreach sites will be doubled, from 80
to 160.
"Takalani" which means "be happy" in TshiVenda conveys
the spirit of happiness and innocence. Takalani Sesame is brought to the
children of South Africa through a partnership with the Department of Education,
United States Agency for International Development, Sanlam and SABC Education.
Takalani Sesame is produced by Kwasukasukela under the creative direction of
Sesame Workshop in collaboration with the South African partners.
CONTACT FOR INTERVIEWS OR MORE INFORMATION:
Nonjabulo Hlengwa, Adzone, 082 967 0102
For information on the HIV/AIDS statistics of South Africa with regard to
children, please download www.mrc.ac.za/policybriefs/2policy2002.pdf
|
