There are very few American children out there who have not benefited from the educational wisdom, fun, and guidance of Sesame Street.
Now, thanks to a $100 million grant, a new customized cast of Sesame Street friends will be made available to Syrian refugee children.
Sesame Workshop and the International Rescue Committee (IRC) were awarded the MacArthur Foundation’s 100&Change grant for their program to uplift displaced kids in Jordan, Lebanon, Iraq and Syria.
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The program will be made available on the internet for mobile phones and computers, as well as developmental centers that will be accessible to refugee families via the IRC’s outreach network. The actual content, which will be recreated to target Syrians, is the same educational content about community and literacy that American kids know and love so much.
The grant has been described as “the largest in the history of humanitarian response, bringing hope and opportunity to a generation of refugee children” who are experiencing the “toxic stress” of displacement.
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“Sesame Workshop and the IRC are change agents that have consistently made history by stepping up to address seemingly intractable issues. We have the relationships, track record, and evidence to implement a new framework for refugee education on an unprecedented scale,” says the program website.
“An investment in the future of these children is an investment in a more peaceful and stable world for us all.”
(WATCH the video below)
Click To Share The Sweet Story With Your Friends (Photos by Sesame Workshop)