Takalani Sesame Invites South Africans to Help HIV-positive Muppeteer Kami
and Her Friends
Make
a Digital World AIDS Day Ribbon Built by the Most Participants Possible
World AIDS Day 2013 Call-To-Action Campaign: Monday,
18th November to Friday, 13th December
Takalani Sesame is a children’s educational series on SABC 1
& 2 and on SABC radio that has been on air for 12 years. Much loved HIV positive character Kamogelo,
also known as Kami, will commemorate World AIDS Day on December 1st
this year by staging an online multimedia campaign that invites people to build
an interactive digital AIDS ribbon. People from South Africa and around the
world will be invited to help their favourite muppets build the online ribbon. South
Africa and the world will come together to learn about and express their love
and support for those living with and affected by HIV/AIDS. This campaign is
also a how-to for grown-ups and older siblings to speak with young children
about HIV/AIDS.
Takalani Sesame, currently in its 6th
season with brand new formats for television, also broadcasts on radio as well
as on newly launched multiple digital platforms. On television, episodes are in
5 languages – Tshivenda, Sepedi, isiZulu, Afrikaans and English. On radio,
episodes are currently in 5 languages will be in all 11 official languages by
January 2014.
Takalani Sesame is brought to viewers
and listeners in partnership with Sesame Workshop, the non-profit educational organisation behind Sesame Street, the Department
of Basic Education (DBE), Sanlam, SABC and the producers of the show Kwasukasukela (KWK), a joint venture
between Ochre
Moving Pictures and Kwa Flights of Fancy.
Please
be a Participant - How to Build the Digital Ribbon
You can help Kami and her friends Zikwe, Zuzu, Neno and
Moshe make the digital ribbon grow simply by sending
a message OR posting photos of you
and your friends in ribbon shaped poses OR forward images of drawings of ribbons you have made OR just by sending
your name.
You can use any of the following platforms:
-
Twitter: @lovetakalani OR #takalanisesameworldaidsday
-
SMS: 33470 Your SMS/Text must read: WAD Your Name and Surname
(SMS cost R1.50. Errors billed. Free Minutes do NOT apply. T&C
apply)
-
WhatsApp: 073-123-4567
By sending Kami a SMS-text, picture and/or
audio-visual message via Facebook, Twitter, SMS, e-mail, WhatsApp, or the
website between Monday 18th November – Friday 13th
December, participants will be helping Kami achieve her goal of building a
digital World AIDS Day ribbon with the most number of people possible. You can
play your part because every interaction with Kami counts—and builds!
Please
Spread the Word
We would greatly appreciate it if you would forward this
announcement to all your contacts via any of these platforms:
-
Twitter: @lovetakalani OR #takalanisesameworldaidsday
-
SMS: 33470 Your SMS/Text must read: WAD Your Name and Surname
(SMS cost R1.50. Errors billed. Free Minutes do NOT apply. T&C
apply)
-
WhatsApp: 073-123-4567
Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu and the Desmond &
Leah Tutu Legacy Foundation (www.tutu.org.za) have lent their support to
the campaign by filming a message to encourage viewers to get involved. Actress
Kristen Bell is also lending her support to Kami’s ribbon-building campaign
with a special video message of her own. These video messages will be broadcast
on SABC and can be viewed on our Facebook page www.facebook.com/takalani.sesame.edu and on our website www.takalanisesame.co.za
Educating
Children About HIV/AIDS
Whilst we want
our audiences, the young and the young at heart, to enjoy the excitement of
making the ribbon, this call-to-action is also a thoughtful campaign to educate
children, inform them, raise their awareness and help bring children together
for national and international solidarity. We concretely help grown-ups and
older siblings engage with and or repeat/transfer ideas and facts to young
children with developmentally appropriate accuracy and clarity. Takalani Sesame always uses high-quality
content resources. These reputable material assets are from various arms of the
United Nations, South Africa’s Departments of Health / Basic Education / Social
Development, and our very own award-winning public service announcement
initiative, Talk to Me – The Make A
Difference Booklet.
An impact
assessment of the series revealed that exposure to Takalani Sesame on television or radio was associated with
improvements in 3- to 6-year-old children’s knowledge and attitudes regarding
HIV and AIDS. Educators also noted improvements in HIV and AIDS knowledge among
children: Before exposure to Takalani
Sesame, 25 percent of educators indicated that the children had understood
or heard of HIV and AIDS; after exposure, the figure increased to 80 percent (Khulisa Management Services
(2005). Impact Assessment of Takalani
Sesame Season II Programe. Report
prepared for the Takalani Sesame Project
at SABC Educational Television. Johannesburg, South Africa.)