SESAME WORKSHOP AND METLIFE FOUNDATION LAUNCH ‘SAPNA, BACHAT, UDAAN,’ A FINANCIAL EMPOWERMENT PROGRAM FOR FAMILIES IN JHARKHAND, INDIA

SESAME WORKSHOP AND METLIFE FOUNDATION LAUNCH ‘SAPNA, BACHAT, UDAAN,’ A FINANCIAL EMPOWERMENT PROGRAM FOR FAMILIES IN JHARKHAND, INDIA

JHARKHAND, INDIA, January 08, 2016

Sesame Workshop in India, the organization behind Galli Galli Sim Sim (the Indian adaptation of Sesame Street) and MetLife Foundation recently launched a new multi-media initiative in Jharkhand called Sapna, Bachat, Udaan: Aarthik Bal, Har Parivar ka Haq. This initiative is the Indian adaptation of the global program Dream, Save, Do: Financial Empowerment for Families. The program focuses on young children with the intention to help them acquire healthy financial skills and behaviour. The program will provide engaging content featuring the Galli Galli Sim Sim Muppets, language for discussion, and effective strategies for spending, saving, sharing and donating.

Supported by MetLife Foundation, a series of workshops are currently being held in the following districts in Jharkhand - Bokaro, Giridhi, Deogarh, Ramgarh and Hazaribagh. So far, the initiative has reached more than 50,000 women and children through various workshops and activities conducted in partnership with implementation partners.

In India, Sapna, Bachat, Udaan it will reach approximately 1.7 million people through community engagement in Rajasthan, Delhi and Jharkhand and over 18 million children through national television. A core set of audio-visual, print and digital resources have been created for the initiative in Hindi language.

“Both MetLife Foundation and Sesame Workshop have long histories of supporting the communities in which we work. Our goal is to ensure that families have access to the knowledge which will put them on the path to financial security,” said Tarun Chugh, Managing Director & CEO, PNB MetLife. “In India, our broader corporate social responsibility efforts are focused on education for underprivileged children. Through our various CSR initiatives, including Sapna, Bachat, Udaan, we hope to create a positive impact on the lives of underprivileged children in the communities in which we operate.”

The workshops organized in Jharkhand aim to increase the dialogue between parents and children towards making informed choices around spending, saving, sharing and to help them realize their financial and non-financial goals. Being a fun and entertaining activity for the community, the workshops are enjoyed thoroughly by children and even adults. These activities provide parents with a vocabulary to talk with their children about financial empowerment. During these workshops, children and their caregivers watch Galli Galli Sim Sim episodes, stories, and songs and play games that help them understand topics like saving, planning, needs vs wants, delayed gratification, etc.

“Being smart means knowing so much more than letters and numbers. It means knowing how to solve problems and to think creatively. Through the Sapna, Bachat, Udaan initiative we aim to provide families access to the strategies and skills related to financial inclusion. Our approach is to incorporate financial empowerment-related activities in daily routines and practices, facilitate open communication and interaction between children and adults. Through various workshops we will provide information that helps families and children be better prepared for the future and potential setbacks.” said Sashwati Banerjee, Managing Director, Sesame Workshop in India.

The ability to make careful choices, plan, and save is essential for positive health, education, and overall life outcomes. As with so many other critical life skills, establishing a foundation for these abilities in the earliest years is essential to build positive lifelong habits. Most individuals and families face economic uncertainties and challenges. Among them, an estimated 2 billion people worldwide are particularly vulnerable because of low-income and lack of capacity to access affordable, safe financial services and products to help manage day to day expenses, respond to the unexpected, and save for the future. In India, approximately 98% of the previously unbanked households with no-frills bank accounts have already been covered – under the Jan Dhan Yojana. The challenge now is to make sure that the families improve their livelihoods and secure the future for their children.