"Sesame Square" Block to Hit Nigeria

The half-hour block, slated for launch this fall, will air content focused on reading, counting and staying in school. "Sesame Square" will be hosted by two new muppets, Kami, a golden-colored girl muppet who is HIV-positive, and a blue boy muppet who will be named through a national mobile vote via SMS text. The broadcast deal is for more then three years on terrestrial TV.

"'Sesame Square' exemplifies the core of Ileke Media's and Sesame Workshop's shared mission to foster respect and understanding through the power of media," says Yemisi Ilo, Sesame Street Nigeria's executive producer and director of business development. "It is our hope that the series will make a strong impact among Nigerian children and their families, addressing relevant social issues, as well as providing them with a strong foundation of basic literacy and numeracy that will instill an interest

In addition to the TV block, two outreach kits focused on literacy and health will be distributed across the country.