Product Code Database
Alam Simsim () is an Arabic language co-production of the children's television series Sesame Street. Alam Simsim is Arabic for "Sesame World".
The show, funded by the U.S. Government's U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), is a cooperative project between Egypt's AlKarma Edutainment and the USA's Sesame Workshop (formerly Children's Television Workshop).
Satellite broadcaster Future Television of Lebanon picked up the show in November 2005, expanding possible viewership to more than 200 million viewers in the Arab States. The series was dubbed into Classical Arabic and local live-action content was filmed for different countries.
The show also includes three main Muppet characters who interact with the humans in the neighborhood. Nimnim ("tiny") is a large green furry creature who wears a cap from upper Egypt and a patterned Waistcoat. He is a somewhat gentle and naive creature who enjoys gardening. Khokha ("peach") is a furry orange-pink four-year-old monster with long black hair. She is a very inquisitive, imaginative and confident character, created to encourage young girls. Filfil ("pepper") is a bearded furry purple monster who often gets carried away with himself. He is a bit egotistical and loves to eat honey-sesame sticks.
Alam Simsim reuses sketches from other versions of Sesame Street, which are dubbed into Egyptian Arabic. Segments which include American Muppets change their names: Ernie and Bert are known as Shadi and Hadi, Elmo is called Tohfa (antique), Telly Monster becomes Mosaad, and Grover is called Jafaar. Kermit, however, retains his original name.
Studies have found that children who watch the program do show improvement in literacy and math skills, and caregivers who watch the program show some modifications in their parenting styles. Viewership is also correlated with gender-equitable views and with girls' interest in education and professional careers. (2025). 9780821374757, World Bank. ISBN 9780821374757 A 2013 study found that children's exposure to the program was significantly associated with learning.
According to a 2004 study, the initiative had a substantial positive impact on caregivers, especially when it came to knowledge about hygiene and vaccines. However, many of the families involves in the initiative and in the study were poorer, and thus were not able to actually implement some of the changes they had learned about, such as buying toothbrushes or fresh produce. There was also a positive impact found on the children in the initiative, who reported more frequent hand and face washing.
|
|
