A Syrian Puppeteer Parents from Afar
Nowar, a young father who fled wartime Syria, parents his young daughter from afar by performing a character on Ahlan Simsim, the Arabic version of Sesame Street created for children affected by conflict and crisis. Go behind the scenes in this short documentary.
When Nowar left Syria in 2016, the war had been going on for five years. Hoping to create a better life for his wife and young daughter, Mila, he made the painful choice to leave his home and family and go to Jordan. He never dreamed he would be able to connect with his own child back in Damascus – and millions of others – through a Sesame Workshop Muppet named Jad.
Since 2020, Nowar has brought the furry saffron-colored monster to life on Ahlan Simsim, which is part of a humanitarian program from Sesame Workshop and the International Rescue Committee to bring early learning to children and caregivers across the Middle East.
Now, in seven powerful minutes, this exclusive behind-the-scenes documentary brings the reality of war and migration into sharp focus through the lens of one father missing his family but able to bring laughter, learning, and joy to so many others.
As Nowar says, “It is my hope that Jad can give Mila and many other children a piece of childhood that they’ve lost.”
The Ahlan Simsim humanitarian program has reached 29 million children on-screen in addition to 3+ million children and caregivers reached through direct services in Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, and Syria. The impact has been profound: one 11-week Remote Early Learning program featuring Ahlan Simsim content yielded educational results on par with an entire year of in-person preschool. Season 10 of the Ahlan Simsim television show, once again featuring Nowar portraying Jad, launches in August 2024.
