New research from NYU Global TIES for Children, an international research center embedded within NYU’s Institute of Human Development and Social Change (IHDSC), finds substantial impact on children’s language, numeracy, and social-emotional development from Ahlan Simsim programs.
Ahlan Simsim (“Welcome Sesame” in Arabic), is an initiative created by Sesame Workshop and the International Rescue Committee (IRC) to deliver early childhood development and learning to children affected by conflict and crisis in the Middle East. The findings demonstrate the power of integrating educational media with early childhood development services, with significant implications for delivering early learning in humanitarian and other contexts where traditional in-person schooling is not possible.
Ahlan Simsim is the largest early childhood intervention in the history of humanitarian response, reaching more than 1 million children and caregivers through direct early childhood services and playful learning in Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, and Syria and over 23 million children across the Middle East and North Africa through a locally produced Arabic language version of Sesame Street. It was launched with the support of the MacArthur Foundation’s first-ever $100 million 100&Change award, and additional support from the LEGO Foundation.
Key learnings from the study include:
- The potential of a groundbreaking new approach to media-integrated remote preschool programs
- The power of education mass media to improve foundational social-emotional skills, which are critical for children’s long-term success
- Insights into how remote parenting programs can be designed to improve caregiver mental health
Results from this study were first announced in the IRC’s May 16, 2023 press release. To learn more about Ahlan Simsim, visit the Ahlan Simsim website. You can also watch episodes on Ahlan Simsim's YouTube channel and explore the library of resources at ahlansimsim.org.
