Sesame Workshop, the nonprofit behind Sesame Street, is launching new resources made possible by Viatris Inc. (NASDAQ: VTRS) to support the social and emotional needs of families across generations as they collectively continue to adapt to the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The new resources, which can be found at SesameWorkshopIndia.org [https://www.sesameworkshopindia.org/caringforeachother], are designed to encourage positive conversations between children, caregivers and families about separation anxiety and the effects of isolation and unpredictability, communicating changes and uncertainty, mitigating parental stress amidst personal loss and economic strains, as well as normalizing asking for help. Over the course of the next three months, materials will be released globally, including in the U.S., India, Middle East, South Korea and Turkey.
The materials launched are part of Sesame Workshop’s Caring for Each Other initiative, which was created in 2020 in response to the uncertainty families continue to face during the COVID-19 pandemic. To date, the initiative has reached families in more than 100 countries and 41 languages.
As the COVID-19 pandemic continues, families around the world are facing increased stress, pressure, and other challenges. Even before the pandemic, in 2019, the Indian Journal of Psychiatry stated that 50 million children in India suffered from mental health issues, and 80 to 90 per cent of those have not sought help.
“We have been committed to build critical socio-emotional and cognitive skills of children for the rapidly changing world.” Said Sonali Khan, Managing Director, Sesame Workshop India.
