1. UNITED NATIONS FOUNDATION
InterofficeMemorandum
From: JohnWaddill
Subject:Sesame WorkshopBrief
Date: December5,2014
*See Bookmarksforfurtherinformationonthe topics
Background
Sesame Street was founded in 1969 to give disadvantaged children the same
opportunities as middle-class children. Sesame Workshop is the nonprofit educational
organization behind Sesame Street and so much more. Today the show is popular with children
and families from all walks of life, but their commitment remains the same: to address the
educational needs of children through the potent combination of media and puppets. This is
done through shows as well as educational outreach programs that make a direct impact in
particularly vulnerable communities. To reach children in different parts of the world (150
countries worldwide) they create a new local program from Sesame Street’s essential
ingredients: Muppets, media and the research process. By creating Muppets to address local
concerns, Sesame Workshop aims for local relevance and a sustainable impact. Over the years
Sesame Workshop has joined forces with foundations, governments, and corporations who
share their vision. These partnerships strengthen efforts while also helping to bring new
initiatives to life.
Subsidiaries
Regions of Operation (150 Countries)
Assets and Funding (July 01, 2012 – June 30, 2013)
 Total Revenue: $130,456,969
 Income Amount: $134,573,929
 Total Expenses: $120,199,954
 Asset Amount: $411,122,900
 Employees: 295
 Nonprofit educational 501 (c)(3) organizationcharitable, tax-exempt status
Leadership
 Mr. Vincent A. Maichairman of the board
Priorities/Initiatives
 Mission

2. o Sesame Workshop’smissionistouse the educational powerof mediatohelpchildren
everywhere reachtheirhighestpotential.
o The recipe forsuccessis combiningacurriculumthataddresseschildren’scritical
developmental needswiththe sophisticateduse of mediaandalarge dose of fun.
o Theirworkpromoteslearningwithreal,measurableresults,afact borne outby
numerousstudiesandsustainedthroughourresearch-intensive process.
o BeyondABCsand 123s, theirprogramsdelivercrucial lessonsabouthealth,emotional
well-being,andrespectandunderstandingtohelpkidsgrow uphealthy,happy,andat
home intheirworld.
o Theirinternational programsare tailoredtothe unique needsof children,theircountry,
and culture,createdwithlocal educators,advisorsandpuppeteers.Thisoftenresultsin
a fullylocal Sesame Street withitsownname,languageandcurriculum.
 Idea
 Initiatives
o Literacy & Numeracy:Bringingeducation’sbuildingblockstochildreneverywhere.
 Overand overagain,researchshowsthatSesame Streetcanand doesmake a
difference inpreparingchildrenforacademicsuccess.One suchstudyfound
that childrenwhofrequentlyview Sesame Street atage 2 score higheron
school-readinesstestsinkindergartenthanthose whodon’t. Andthe
advantageslastwell intohighschool andbeyond.
o Emotional Wellbeing:Helpingchildrenbuildthe resilience theyneedtocope during
toughtimes.
 Our outreachinitiativeshelpusextendtheselessonsfromourshowswhile
focusingonthe circumstancesandchallengesof specificpopulations — suchas
militaryfamilies,those strugglingthroughthe economicdownturn,orthose
impactedbytraumaticeventslike Hurricane Katrinaor9/11. Is it possible to
move the needle onsomethingasdelicate asemotions?Ourstrongresults
speakforthemselves.
o Health & Wellness:Helpingchildrenestablishanearlyfoundationforhealthyhabits.
 Throughinnovative healtheducationprograms,we’re addressingissueslikethe
stigmaof HIV/AIDSinSouthAfrica;malariainTanzania;childhoodobesityinthe
U.S., Mexico,andColombia;andflutransmissionaroundthe world.Asresearch
shows,programslike these maybe justthe rightprescriptionforgivingchildren
a healthystartin life.
o Respect& Understanding:Fosteringrespectandunderstandingamongthe world’s
children.
 Since itsinception,SesameStreethasbeencommittedtobringingtogether
childrenfromall walksof life.Formore thanfourdecades,differentcultures,
ethnicities,abilities,andcolors — includingbrightblueandfeatheryyellow —
have lived,played,andlearnedtogetheronSesame Street.
 In parts of the worldwhere childrenlive withconflictanddivision,we address
these issueshead-onwithtargetedlessonsincooperation,conflictresolution,
and opennesstoothers.
 Results

3. Overlap With UNF
 Women,Girls& Population
o Theireducational programs aroundthe worldare aimedsquarelyatboostingambitions
and encouraginggirlstodreambig.
o It’sall about positive role models.On-screenimagesof girlspursuingacademicsand
otherfun,interestingactivitieshelpchildren — girlsaswell asboys — broadentheir
sense of women’spotential.
o AlamSimsimaddressesthe pressingeducational anddevelopmental needsof Egyptian
children — girlsaswell asboys.
o "Sesame Workshopisproudto announce itspartnershipwiththe UnitedNationsin
supportof the Every WomanEvery Childmovement;raisingawareness,providing
motivationandpresentinghealth-relatedsolutionstowomenandchildrenaroundthe
world.”– UN SecretaryGeneral Ban Ki-moon
 Global Health
o While normalizingthe face of HIV/AIDS, Kami providesalife-affirmingantidote tothe
stigmathat accompaniesthe disease.She alsohelpskidslearnbasicfactsabouthowit is
— andisn’t— transmitted,andmodelshealthywaystodeal withgrief andloss,suchas
creatinga “memorybox”filledwithphotosandmementosof hermom, whodiedof
AIDS.
Sesame Workshopand the U.N.
 Sesame WorkshopCommitstothe UnitedNationsSecretary-General’sEveryWomanEvery
Childmovementasitlaunchesanunprecedentedglobal healthinitiative.
 On WorldToiletDay, newSesame MuppetRayainviteschildrentobe partof the Solution.She
isto engage childrenwithimportantmessagessurroundingproperlatrine use andsanitation
throughoutBangladesh,IndiaandNigeria,made aspecial reportonthe importance of good
sanitation.
 Kami,the SouthAfricanSesame Streetcharacter,isthe first HIV-positive Muppet.Theyare
workingwithherand the restof the Muppetfamilytoadvance theirworkon global health.
 While eachprogramis committedtopresentingabroadrange of skillstoprepare childrenfor
the future,the specificeducational aimsof eachseriesdiffertoaddressissuesfacedin each
country.Productionsfocusonissuessuchas stigmatizationaroundHIV/AIDSinSouthAfrica,
respectandunderstandinginIsrael,Palestine,JordanandKosovoandgirls'educationinEgypt.

5. Bookmarks
Subsidiaries
 SW Financing, Inc.
 Sesame Street, Inc.
 Electric Company, Inc.
 Galli Galli SimSim Educational Initiative (GGSSEI)
 The Joan Ganz Cooney Center for Educational Media and Research
 Sesame Workshop India Initiatives, PLC
 Sesame Street Brand Management and Service (Shanghai) Co. Ltd.
 CTW Communications, Inc.
Regions of Operation
 Afghanistan
 Algeria
 Andorra
 Anguilla
 Antigua & Barbuda
 Argentina
 Aruba
 Australia
 Austria
 Bahamas
 Bahrain
 Bangladesh
 Barbados
 Belgium
 Belize
 Benin
 Bermuda
 Bhutan
 Bolivia
 Botswana
 Brazil
 Burkina Faso

6.  Burundi
 Cambodia
 Cameroon
 Canada
 Cape Verde
 Cayman Islands
 Chad
 Chile
 China
 Colombia
 Comoros
 Costa Rica
 Croatia
 Cuba
 Cyprus
 Czech Republic
 Denmark
 Djibouti
 Dominica
 Dominican Republic
 Ecuador
 Egypt
 El Salvador
 Eritrea
 Falkland islands
 Finland
 France
 Gabon
 Gambia
 Georgia
 Germany
 Ghana
 Grenada
 Guadeloupe
 Guatemala
 Guinea
 Guinea-Bissau
 Guyana
 Haiti

7.  Honduras
 Hong Kong
 Hungary
 India
 Indonesia
 Ireland
 Israel
 Italy
 Jamaica
 Japan
 Jordan
 Kuwait
 Laos
 Lebanon
 Lesotho
 Liberia
 Libya
 Liechtenstein
 Luxembourg
 Macao
 Macedonia
 Madagascar
 Malaysia
 Maldives
 Mali
 Malta
 Martinique
 Mauritania
 Mauritius
 Mayotte
 Mexico
 Moldova
 Monaco
 Mongolia
 Montserrat
 Morocco
 Myanmar
 Namibia
 Nepal

8.  Netherlands
 Nicaragua
 Niger
 Nigeria
 Northern Ireland
 Norway
 Oman
 Pakistan
 Palestine
 Panama
 Papua New Guinea
 Paraguay
 Peru
 Philippines
 Poland
 Portugal
 Puerto Rico
 Qatar
 Romania
 Rwanda
 San Marino
 Saudi Arabia
 Senegal
 Sierra Leone
 Singapore
 Slovakia
 Slovenia
 South Africa
 Spain
 Sri Lanka
 Sudan
 Suriname
 Swaziland
 Sweden
 Switzerland
 Syria
 Tanzania
 Thailand
 Togo

9.  Tunisia
 United Arab Emirates
 United Kingdom
 United States
 Uruguay
 Vatican City
 Venezuela
 Yemen
Leadership
 Board of Trustees
o Mr. Vincent A. MaiChairman of the Board
o Ms. Joan Ganz Cooney
o Mr. Lloyd N. Morrisett
o Jeffery N. Watanabe
o Mr. Jeffery D. Dunn
o Ms. Fabiola R. Arredondo
o Ms. Joanna Barsh
o Ms. Lisa Caputo
o Milton Chen, Ph.D.
o Ms. Daniella Lipper Coules
o Mr. Adam Frankel
o Mr. Craig M. Hatkoff
o Mr. Peter Hero
o Ms. Marlene Hess
o Mr. Frans Hijkoop
o Ms. Rachel Hines
o Mr. Declan Kelly
o Mr. Keith Reinhard
o Dr. Linda G. Roberts
o Ms. Susan Solomon
o Dr. Merryl Tisch
o Dr. Ellen Wartella
o Ms. Deborah C. Wright
 Founders
o Joan Ganz Cooney: Joan Ganz Cooney, co-founder in 1968 of Children’s
Television Workshop (renamed, Sesame Workshop June 2000) and originator of
the preschool educational series, Sesame Street, served as President and Chief
Executive Officer until 1990. She is currently Chairman of the Executive
Committee of Sesame Workshop’s Board and in November 2007 introduced the

10. Joan Ganz Cooney Center at Sesame Workshop, dedicated to advancing
children’s learning in a digital age.
o Lloyd Morrisett: More than forty years ago he was a co-founder of Sesame
Workshop, producers of Sesame Street and other educational television
programs for children. After thirty years as Chairman of the Workshop’s Board of
Trustees, he is now a Trustee and Chairman Emeritus.
 Senior Management
o Jeffery D. Dunn: President and CEO
o Dr. Lewis Bernstein: Executive Vice President, Education Research and Outreach
o Terry Fitzpatrick: Executive Vice President, Content Distribution
o Myung Kang-Huenke: Executive Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary
o Daryl Mintz: Chief Financial Officer
o Sherrie Westin: Executive Vice President, Chief Marketing Officer
o Michael H. Levine, Ph.D.: Executive Director, The Joan Ganz Cooney Center at
Sesame Workshop
Priorities/Initiatives
Idea
o It beganas a simple yetrevolutionaryideainthe UnitedStates:toteachkidsthrough
television.40 yearslater,it’sgrownintoa worldwide educational phenomenon,
reachingmillionsof childreninmore than150 countries.
o Throughon-the-groundoutreachefforts,theybringtheirlessonsdirectlyintothe
homesandclassroomsof particularlyvulnerable communities,wheretheyhave a
dramaticimpact inkids’lives.
o Generoussupportfromlike-mindedpartners –foundations,corporations,individuals,
governments,andothers –has beencritical totheirmissionformore thanfourdecades
and continuestomake new projectspossible
o Since theirstarton TV, they’ve becomeamultimediapioneer,usingeverythingfrom
radio,books,andvideostothe latestininteractive mediaandtechnology,effortsthat
are enhancedthroughcollaborationswiththeircolleaguesatthe ground-breaking
researchand innovationlab,the JoanGanzCooneyCenter.
Results
o A 2013 studyby a leadingacademicinstitutionconcludesthatchildrenwhowatchone
of ourinternational versionsof SesameStreet gainonaverage almost12 percentile
pointsonlearningoutcomes,comparedtothose whodon’t.
o Bangladeshi 4-year-oldswhowatchthe local versionof Sesame Streethave literacy
scoresthat are 67% higherthan those whodon’twatch.
o Childrenwhoview Sesame Streetepisodeswithpro-social messagesexhibitpro-social
behaviorsthatare up to 40% higherthanchildrenwhodonotwatch these episodes.

11. o SouthAfricanchildrenexposedtoTakalani Sesame are 4x more likelytohave some
knowledge of HIV/AIDSthan those whoare notexposed.
o Egyptian6-year-oldswhofrequentlywatchthe local versionof SesameStreetdo2x as
well ongenderequitymeasuresthanthose whowatchless.