Curious and feisty five-year-old Chamki, another Muppet created forGalli Galli Sim Sim, is dressed in a typical blue and white school uniform, which, Zylstra says, neutralizes her cultural identity and suggests that she is representative of all girls. Chamki has a flair for language, building her vocabulary with new words and creating clever tongue twisters. She’s a problem solver, too, and puts these skills to use as the witty “Detective Chamki.” She also loves games and athletics, and strives to excel in her karate lessons.
Sesame Workshop hopes that by providing Chamki as a role model, Galli Galli Sim Sim will increase female literacy rates and encourage children to stay in school. India has long grappled with gender disparity in its youth literacy rates; according to theUNESCO Institute for Statistics, the boys’ literacy rate was 84 percent in 2001, while the girls’ was 67.7 percent. And according to UNICEF, “many children [in India] drop out before completing five years of primary education.”
Zylstra credits Chamki performer Ghazal Javed with much of the character’s broad appeal, noting the performer’s vibrancy and her ability to connect with viewers.
“She uses the camera, uses her eyes, to really bring that connection home,” says Zylstra. She also points out that Chamki is the most childlike of the characters, which naturally appeals to target audiences.
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