Sisimpur



Sisimpur is the Bangladeshi co-production of Sesame Street.

Set in a marketplace, the series began airing in April 2005. The local Muppet characters include Halum the Bengal Tiger; Ikri Mikri, a small blue monster; Shiku, a jackal; and Tuktuki, a young girl. The show has no full-body character.

Additionally, the series features traditional Bangladeshi puppets, crafted by designer Mustafa Manwar and not by the Muppet Workshop, who appear in separate segments within Ikri's imagination, a realm known as Ikri's World.

The first season of the series featured 26 episodes, and a second season of 36 episodes was in production, as of 9 February 2006. A third season went into produced starting in April 2007. The series airs four times a week on Bangladesh TV (BTV), the country's national broadcaster.

Sesame Workshop description
''Sisimpur is the Bangladeshi adaptation of Sesame Street, designed to meet the learning needs of 3- to 6- year-olds across social classes and different regions of the country. With a curriculum defined by Bangladeshi educators, the series emphasizes not only literacy, math and science, but also helps foster values such as self-respect, empathy and cooperation. Other key objectives include improving educational opportunities for young girls; promoting good nutrition, hygiene and safety; and encouraging appreciation of the shared cultural heritage of diverse segments of Bangladeshi society.'' ''The series features unique Bangla-speaking Muppets such as Ikri Mikri, an imaginative 3-year-old who encourages young girls to have a limitless sense of possibility. Original music and locally produced live-action and animated segments reflect the rich artistic heritage of Bangladeshi culture."

Info on USAID
Sisimpur storybooks and other supplemental material are distributed among pre-school aged children. Teachers and parents will also be trained to use these materials effectively to support the children’s learning.

In an effort to reach children in remote areas, USAID-Bangladesh has partnered with Save the Children USA to produce and deploy a small fleet of flatbed cycle rickshaws that carry a TV, a DVD player, and a generator to villages that are not serviced by power lines or are otherwise limited in their ability to access Sisimpur. The rickshaw goes to each location once a week and draws a remarkable amount of viewers, sometimes with as many as 200 people gathering to watch the show.

Crew

 * Producer: Nadine Zylstra