Takalani Sesame

Takalani Sesame is the South African version of the children's television program Sesame Street. Co-produced by Sesame Workshop and South African partners, Takalani Sesame is now in its 10th year. Takalani Sesame is a uniquely South African interpretation of the Sesame model engaging children and their parents and promoting basic school readiness, literacy, numeracy, and health and hygiene. Takalani Sesame also has a special focus on HIV/AIDS awareness and seeks to introduce HIV/AIDS safety while promoting tolerance and reducing stigma. The Takalani series also includes a popular radio program, a newspaper and magazine comic strip series, and a national Talk to ME Campaign which encourages adults to talk to their children about HIV/AIDS and related issues. The introduction of an HIV-positive muppet for this purpose was widely misunderstood by the U.S. political right, with such groups as the American Family Association mistaking it as a means for homosexual activists to influence young