Baghch-e-Simsim

Baghch-e-Simsim (باغچهٔ سم سم, "Sesame Garden") is a Dari- and Pashto-language co-production based on the American children's television series Sesame Street. The series launched in Afghanistan in December 2011,[1][2] and has aired on TOLO and Lemar.[3][4]

Baghch-e-Simsim
GenreEducational
Country of originAfghanistan
Original languagesDari, Pashto
Production
Production locationKabul
Running time30 minutes
Production companiesSesame Workshop, Moby Media Group
Release
Original networkTolo TV
Lemar TV
Original releaseDecember 1, 2011 (2011-12-01)

Production history

Sesame Street was first introduced to Afghanistan in 2004 as Koche Sesame, which was shown on state-owned television and as a teaching tool within some schools in the form of DVDs. One of the segments was "Grover Around the World", based directly on the "Global Grover" segments of the American original, as well as Sesame Street, and Play with Me Sesame.[5]

Production of Baghch-e-Simsim began in 2010, with Sesame Workshop and Afghan company Moby Media Group producing.[6] The series was partly filmed in Afghanistan, with other segments taken from other international productions and dubbed in Pashto and Dari.[1][7][8]

The project is funded by the U.S. embassy in Kabul and is produced in consultation with Afghanistan's Ministry of Education.[4][9][10] Baghch-e-Simsim's initial 26 half-hour episodes were aired in Dari on locally owned Tolo TV.[10][11] The Pashto version was later be aired on Lemar TV.[12]

In July 2012 a radio version of the program was introduced, produced in partnership with Equal Access International.[13]

In January 2015 a Taliban suicide bomber killed an editor of the show, Sayed Jawad Hussaini, during an attack on one of Tolo TV's buses.[14]

The series launched its seventh season in 2019.[15]

Characters

Non-original characters appearing in the show include Abby Cadabby, Bert (called Bart), Big Bird (called Shaw Parr), Cookie Monster (called Khajoor), Elmo, Ernie (called Hadi), Grover (called Kajkoal), Oscar (called Gom Gom), Prairie (called Pari), Rosita (called Rukhsaar), Telly (called Shaarmac) and Zoe (called Zeba).[4][16] Zubair Ahmad Kakkar provides the voices for Khajoor and Kajkoal.[14]

The first local muppet, a six-year-old girl named Zari, was added to Baghch-e-Simsim on 7 April 2016 as part of the show's fifth season.[7][8][17][18] Zari's brother Zeerak was introduced in 2017.[19][20] Both characters are intentionally made to appear pan-Afghan, as their outfits combine elements from multiple ethnic groups; similarly, both Zari and Zeerak are common names in both Dari and Pashto.[21] Zari is puppeteered by Sima Seltani and Mansoora Shirzad.[14]

The program also features characters from other international productions, including Khokha (from Egypt's Alam Simsim, called Khushaal),[1] Tuktuki (from Bangladesh's Sisimpur, called Gulguly),[1] Lola (from Mexico's Sésamo, called Laala),[9] Businka (from Russia's Ulitsa Sezam, called Khwaaga),[9] Raya (from Nigeria's Sesame Square), Chamki (from India's Galli Galli Sim Sim) and Shams (from the United Arab Emirates' Iftah Ya Simsim).[16]

Content

The show has girls' education as one of its primary focuses. The program also focus on building pan-Afghan unity and identity. In one segment characters visit the national museum and learn about Afghan music, instruments, and dances, while in other segments characters visit monuments or sites of national importance, such as the Gardens of Babur and the Kabul Zoo.[21] The show avoids references to political conflict.[14]

Unlike some other co-productions, Baghch-e-Simsim does include some references to religion, such as a segment where a mother blesses her daughter or where a father brings his daughter to a mosque. The show also includes clips of ethnic and religious minorities, including Sikh and Hazara children.[21]

Reception and impact

As of 2017, approximately 80% of Afghan families who have access to broadcast networks watch the program.[22]

According to Sesame Workshop, children who watched the program tested 29% higher on gender equity attitudes, and fathers who watched the program were more likely to send their daughters to school.[23] A 2012 study by the US Embassy Kabul similarly found that the show helped persuade men to send their girls to school, and that parents found they better understood how to support their children's mental and emotional development. The study also found that children who watched the show were more visibly enthusiastic about learning[13]

TV channels and schedule

The show is broadcast:[9]

  • Every Thursday through Sunday at 4PM on Tolo TV.
  • Every Thursday and Friday at 5PM and Saturdays and Sundays at 3:30PM on Lemar TV.

In other media

Zari was included as a special guest at the United Nations observance of World Children's Day in 2017.[24]

References
  1. Farmer, Ben (November 30, 2011). "Sesame Street to be broadcast in Afghanistan". Kabul: The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved December 5, 2011.
  2. Sesame Street debuts in Afghanistan
  3. Aram, Fariba (20 November 2019). "Kids' Show Baghch-e-Simsim Launches 7th Season". TOLOnews. Retrieved 2023-01-04.
  4. Schutte, Lauren (2011-12-02). "'Sesame Street' Debuts in Afghanistan". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 2023-01-04.
  5. "How to get to 'Sesame Street' in Afghanistan". USA Today. Retrieved 2023-03-14.
  6. Farmer, Ben (1 December 2011). "Afghan children get their own Sesame Street". The Daily Telegraph.
  7. "Meet Zari, Sesame Street's new female Afghan Muppet". PBS NewsHour. 2016-04-12. Retrieved 2023-01-04.
  8. "Sesame Street's first Afghan Muppet empowers girls". TODAY. Retrieved 2023-01-04.
  9. DeMott, Rick (December 1, 2011). "Sesame Street To Debut In Afghanistan". AWN News. Retrieved December 5, 2011.
  10. Deasy, Kristin (3 December 2011). "'Sesame Street' Tries To Pave New Road In Afghanistan". RadioFreeEurope/RadioLiberty. Retrieved 2023-01-04.
  11. "Sesame Street comes to Afghanistan". Agence France-Presse. 2 December 2011.
  12. Afghan children ready to walk down Sesame Street by Daniel Magnowski for Reuters. November 30, 2011.
  13. "Baghch-e-Simsim". The Communication Initiative Network. Retrieved 2023-03-14.
  14. Amanpour, Christiane; Watson, Ivan (22 September 2016). "Iraq PM on Mosul Offensive; Paris Climate Deal Close to Becoming Binding; The Muppet Pulling at Afghanistan's Heart Strings". CNN.
  15. Aram, Fariba (20 November 2019). "Kids' Show Baghch-e-Simsim Launches 7th Season". TOLOnews.
  16. The Sesame effect : the global impact of the longest street in the world. Charlotte F. Cole, June H. Lee. New York, NY. 2016. p. 15. ISBN 978-1-317-61501-9. OCLC 948546744.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link) CS1 maint: others (link)
  17. Serjeant, Jill (7 April 2016). "Afghan 'Sesame Street' adds girl power with first homegrown Muppet". Reuters. Retrieved 21 August 2021.
  18. Couric, Katie (26 April 2016). "Meet Zari: Afghanistan's first female 'Sesame Street' character". Yahoo! News. Retrieved 2023-01-04.
  19. "Press Releases | Sesame Workshop".
  20. "Afghanistan's version of Sesame Street is introducing a new puppet to teach respect for women". The Independent. 2021-08-17. Retrieved 2023-01-04.
  21. Moland, Naomi A. (2020). Can Big Bird fight terrorism? : children's television and globalized multicultural education. New York, NY. pp. 41, 122–124, 153. ISBN 978-0-19-090395-4. OCLC 1112424155.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  22. Sreenivas, Shishira (2017-07-04). "Afghanistan's version of 'Sesame Street' promotes gender equality with a new muppet". Mashable. Retrieved 2023-01-04.
  23. Molloy, Margaret (21 March 2022). "How brands can use their privilege in the fight for women". The Drum. Retrieved 2023-01-04.
  24. "'Don't Let Adults Off the Hook, Keep Raising Your Voices - ' Kids 'Take Over' UN for World Children's Day". UN News Service. 20 November 2017.
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