Who says learning’s no fun?

This is a balwadi (childcare centre) where children below the age of six are taught basic math — the mock shopping aims to teach them “financial literacy”— and letters in the alphabet. But all of this is done through innovative and fun learning materials from Galli Galli Sim Sim,a multi-platform initiative that uses TV and educational outreach to take care of the educational and developmental needs of children.

The programme has two major components: one is Galli Galli Sim Sim,the programme that is aired on two channels,POGO and Cartoon Network,supported by Turner Broadcasting. Apart from the TV show,there is an educational outreach programme supported by the Michael and Susan Dell Foundation. The outreach programme has partnered with NGOs like Disha,Navjyoti,Pratham and others that have their centres in balwadis.

Mona Singh,Communication Manager,says,“We have mobile community viewings (MCV) that reach a large number of children with audio/visual content from the TV show. For instance,the Galli Galli Sim Sim TV show has muppets that speak on the need for good hygiene,health and nutrition. When the characters raise such issues,the children understand and relate to it better. So we have vegetable carts fitted with TV and DVD players that go to slums to give children and their caregivers episodes of the show.” As part of the initiative,they prepare colourful learning kits to help children get educated in an interesting way.

Though the NGO has provided educational material to 365 centres in Delhi,it still needs to catch on. “In Mumbai,the programme is doing well on a large scale with the Integrated Child Development Scheme,and we want to explore the same in Delhi,” Singh says.