New Delhi, November 20:
The US Government and Sesame Workshop India Trust, on Wednesday, launched Learn Play Grow at the American Center in New Delhi, as part of International Education Week, a release stated. As per the relese, the program is a collaboration between the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAD) and Sesame Workshop India Trust designed to support early childhood education and health practices for young children and their families across India.
With interactive learning led by Sesame Street characters Chamki, Elmo, and their friends, Learn Play Grow will provide foundational skills in literacy, numeracy, and hygiene to children in Rajasthan and Telangana, with digital content in Hindi and Telugu reaching millions more across the country.
U.S. Ambassador to India Eric Garcetti said, "Today's launch of Learn Play Grow represents a step forward in our U.S.-India education partnership. With this program, we're bringing educational and health resources directly to children and families, making early learning engaging and accessible. By investing in initiatives like Learn Play Grow, we're not only supporting India's young learners but also building brighter futures and stronger communities across India. Together, the United States and India are advancing a shared vision for inclusive, quality education for all!."
The launch event featured a public showcase of USAID-supported initiatives that align with the Government of India's NIPUN Bharat mission for universal foundational literacy and numeracy, with a focus on inclusive and gender-equitable education. Ambassador Garcetti showcased displays that highlighted USAID's impact on India's education vision, including gender-inclusive classrooms, support for children with disabilities, and multilingual resources --underscoring the US government's commitment to accessible education for all, especially girls and marginalized communities. The event was also joined by Sesame Street's Chamki, Elmo, Cookie Monster, and Grover.
The Learn Play Grow program, driven by play-based pedagogy, will be implemented in more than 1,000 Anganwadi Centers in Rajasthan's Baran district and Telangana's Bhupalpally district, with the goal of engaging 20,000-25,000 children and their families and reaching millions more through digital programming.
Sonali Khan, Managing Trustee, Sesame Workshop India Trust said "Together with USAID, through the Learn Play Grow initiative, we're building a foundation where children can grow smarter, stronger, and kinder." Today's launch of Learn, Play, Grow is part of longstanding US Government efforts to drive foundational literacy, numeracy, and inclusive learning by strengthening early education systems and empowering educators.
Through initiatives like the Scaling-up Early Reading Intervention (with Room to Read) and the India Partnership for Early Learning (with CARE USA), USAID enhances curriculum design, teacher training, and digital tools to support early learning across diverse settings.
Complementing these efforts, the Equity in Access to Numeracy and Basic Literacy Education (with Pratham India) program ensures that children with disabilities have equitable access to foundational skills, while the Learning and Innovation in Foundational Literacy and Numeracy (with British Asian Trust) initiative mobilizes private investment to bring sustainable, innovative solutions to public education.
USAID is the world's premier international development agency and a catalytic actor driving development results. The United States and India are partnering to advance and achieve shared global development priorities.
Source: ANI
