Sesame Workshop’s mission is to

help kids grow smarter, stronger,

and kinder.

Around the world…

• 2.4 billion people do not use improved sanitation

• 663 million people do not have access to improved water sources

• Every day, over 800 children die from preventable

diseases caused by poor water, sanitation, and hygiene

UNICEF, 2016

WASH challenges & young children

• What: A USD 2.01 million grant to build a Sesame program around

the objective of reducing open defecation

• Who: Children in communities facing WASH challenges

• Where: Bangladesh, India, Nigeria

• When: 2012-2015

Program history – the Gates Foundation opportunity

Designing a global WASH character

Step 1: Pick a Muppet Color GATES SANITATION PROJECT – MUPPET COLOR OPTIONS

Step 2: Pick a Muppet Body Shape GATES SANITATION PROJECT – MUPPET BODY SHAPE OPTIONS

A B C D

Chamki Sivan Lily Tuktuki Gaby

Step 3: Pick a Muppet Hair Style Step 4: Pick a Muppet Outfit

The art of Muppet making

Proudly presenting…

Raya!

Target communities

Bangladesh: Tea Gardens in Sylhet India: Urban Slums in Kolkata

Nigeria: Rural and Peri-Urban Schools

Outside Abuja

61,000 children and caregivers

50,000 children

12,000 children

Using an

improved

latrine at

home

Using an

improved

latrine in

school

Personal Social Control Personal Social Control

10.0

26.2

11.2

36.1

19.7 8.2

Research findings: Latrine use

Bangladesh India

15.0 23.8

2.5

64.0

8.2

21.3

% C

ha

ng

e i

n R

ep

ort

ed

Be

ha

vio

r

Note: Statistical tests were not performed for Bangladesh and India because of the small number of communities (N = 3)

4.3

34.4

7.3

Wearing

sandals

outside

“all the

time”

Wearing

sandals

“all the

time” to

defecate

Personal Social Control Personal Social Control

48.8

33.8 26.3

Bangladesh India

17.5 22.5

-13.5

5.4

21.6

8.1

% C

ha

ng

e i

n R

ep

ort

ed

Be

ha

vio

r

Note: Statistical tests were not performed for Bangladesh and India because of the small number of communities (N = 3)

Research findings: Wearing sandals

Washes

hands “all

the time”

after

defecating

Uses soap

“several

times a day”

Uses soap

“all the

time” to

wash hands

after

defecating

Personal Social Control Personal Social Control

48.8 40.0

15.0 14.4 15.6

0.8

Odds Ratio:

2.16* 28.8 30.0

0.0 2.9

26.7

7.8

48.8 48.8

18.8 28.4

23.0 16.6

Odds Ratio:

0.91 (n.s.)

Odds Ratio:

1.25 (n.s.)

% C

ha

ng

e i

n R

ep

ort

ed

Be

ha

vio

r

Research Findings: Handwashing

Bangladesh India Nigeria

Note: Statistical tests were not performed for Bangladesh and India because of the small number of communities (N = 3)

The current partnership

• Building on Sesame Workshop’s educational content and learning, and

leverage World Vision’s on-the-ground community relationships and

commitment to high-quality infrastructure provision

Beginning in Zambia

Advisory Workshop

& Curriculum

Content Design & Formative Research

Teacher Training

Pilot Project &

Monitoring

Adjustment & Scale Up

Curriculum and content adjustments

The WASH UP! program in Zambia called for some important changes:

• Age up to early primary grades

• Target very remote, low-resource communities in Southern Africa

• Translate into local languages

• Implement through afterschool clubs

• Emphasize “kids teaching kids” as an explicit program objective

The WASH UP! materials

Games Teacher training

• Videos

• Games

• Print materials

Kids teaching kids

Games Teacher training

Program growth

• Adapted water, sanitation, hygiene, and health promotion objectives

• New social-emotional cross-cutting themes, including:

– Coping with big feelings

– Building resilience

– Being hopeful

– Conflict resolution

– Practicing mutual respect and understanding

Syrian response curriculum

Syrian response storybook

Thank you!