(New Delhi, May 2026) Building on its multi-year commitment to children’s mental health, Sesame Workshop, the global nonprofit behind Sesame Street, is expanding its suite of emotional well-being resources with funding from MetLife Foundation. The new digital content empowers children and their caregivers through targeted outreach efforts in India, Mexico, Brazil, the Middle East, and the United States with practical knowledge and strategies to strengthen social connections and nurturing relationships.
Featuring Elmo, Abby Cadabby, and their Sesame Street friends, the resources emphasize core messages such as the value of taking others’ perspectives, doing kind things, and cooperating.
These themes are also woven into select Tales from 123 segments, supported by MetLife Foundation as part of this global partnership, in Sesame Street’s current 56th season on Netflix.
In India, Sesame Workshop is being brought to life through a blend of digital and on-ground engagement, with a targeted reach of over 410,000 children and caregivers across multiple states. Sesame Workshop India is working closely with frontline workers, educators, and community-based platforms such as Anganwadi Centres to introduce emotional well-being concepts to young children and their caregivers. Through facilitated sessions, community events, and guided activities, caregivers are supported in building responsive, nurturing relationships, while children are encouraged to express emotions, practice empathy, and develop prosocial skills in safe, familiar environments. These efforts are further strengthened through integration with digital platforms such as the Chalo! Sesame Street app and the Daddy Cool WhatsApp chatbot, enabling continued learning and engagement beyond in-person interactions.
“At a time when children’s mental health is a growing concern, Sesame Workshop’s emotional well-being initiative is focused on reaching children early, with the support of like-minded organizations,” said Sonali Khan, Sesame Workshop. “Together with MetLife Foundation, we’re providing engaging resources that nurture relationships, empathy, and compassion for oneself and others, helping children build a strong foundation for lifelong emotional health.”
“All of us at PNB MetLife value MetLife Foundation’s support for children’s mental and emotional well-being early in life to help shape positive outcomes for years to come,” said Sameer Bansal, MD & CEO at PNB MetLife,“MetLife Foundation’s long-standing partnership with Sesame Workshop gives us a valuable opportunity to deliver engaging, evidence-based resources for children and caregivers in India, fostering confidence, empathy and resilience.”
Created especially for early childhood educators, caregivers, and parents of children ages 3–5, the new resources, available on sesameworkshopindia.org/resources/chhoti-badi-bhaavnaayein/, include three caregiver videos, five social media videos, and a volunteer guide, all designed to help young children and their families build emotional well-being and prosocial skills. The videos will be available in Hindi, English, Spanish, Portuguese, and Arabic, with the volunteer guide in English and Spanish.
Since 2009, MetLife Foundation has been a long-standing partner of Sesame Workshop, supporting global initiatives that help children and families build essential life skills. The partnership has spanned multiple countries and focus areas from early efforts promoting health and well-being to the impactful Dream, Save, Do initiative, which advanced financial empowerment for families worldwide. Building on this history, MetLife Foundation and Sesame Workshop are now expanding their collaboration to support young children’s emotional well-being, helping families strengthen relationships, resilience, and social connection.
About Sesame Workshop
Sesame Workshop is the global nonprofit behind Sesame Street and so much more. For over 50 years, we have worked at the intersection of education, media, and research, creating joyful experiences that enrich minds and expand hearts, all in service of empowering each generation to build a better world. Our beloved characters, iconic shows, outreach in communities, and more bring playful early learning to families in more than 190 countries and advance our mission to help children everywhere grow smarter, stronger, and kinder. Learn more at www.sesame.org and follow Sesame Workshop on Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, and X.
About MetLife Foundation
At MetLife Foundation, we are committed to driving inclusive economic mobility. We collaborate with nonprofit organizations and provide grants aligned to three strategic focus areas – economic empowerment, financial health and resilient communities – while engaging MetLife employee volunteers to help drive impact. MetLife Foundation was established in 1976 and for 50 years has continued MetLife’s long tradition of community engagement and involvement. Since its inception, MetLife Foundation has contributed over $1 billion to strengthen communities where MetLife has a presence. To learn more about MetLife Foundation, visit www.metlife.org.
