This is a good thing. Sesame Workshop and Merrill Lynch have created Panwapa, in their words:
"A multimedia, global initiative that is designed to inspire and empower a new generation of children, ages four to seven, to be responsible global citizens. In the Tshiluba language, spoken in the Democratic Republic of the Congo in central Africa, the word "Panwapa" means "here on this earth."
Panwapa has five objectives for kids:
- Build awareness of the wider world
- Appreciate similarities and value differences
- Take responsibility for one’s behaviours
- Participate in community and be willing to take action
- Understand and respond to economic disparity
Kids can create global connections through the site. The environment is safe as no personal information is ever exchanged – nobody types anything.
This is a much more important form of social engagement than finding friends on Facebook.
Turn a kid you know on to Panwapa today.