This study is a causal impact evaluation of Watch, Play, Learn (WPL), a program by Sesame Workshop that consists of videos that aim to bring playful early learning opportunities to children, especially those affected by conflict and crisis, via mobile phones. This study focused on the effects of WPL math and social-emotional skills content delivered to Venezuelan migrants and Colombian children living in communities in Colombia where families and children face challenges in accessing essential services, including early education. Implementation was led by the Colombia office of Innovations for Poverty Action.

This study is a causal impact evaluation of Watch, Play, Learn (WPL), a program by Sesame Workshop that consists of videos that aim to bring playful early learning opportunities to children, especially those affected by conflict and crisis, via mobile phones. This study focused on the effects of WPL math and social-emotional skills content delivered to Venezuelan migrants and Colombian children living in communities in Colombia where families and children face challenges in accessing essential services, including early education. Implementation was led by the Colombia office of Innovations for Poverty Action.

In this brief, the fourth in our series, Global TIES researchers show that through analyses of instruments measuring caregivers' perceptions of refugee camp environment, caregiver mental health, and children's social-emotional development, there are reasons for optimism in using these particular scales with the Rohingya community in Cox's Bazar, Bangladesh. Results suggest that the measures examined show generally strong internal reliability and can be successfully adapted for use in this context and they were associated with each other in meaningful ways. In addition to highlighting promising results, this brief also provides a snapshot of the steps involved in selecting, adapting, and testing these scales to examine their suitability and prepare them for large-scale use.

This first brief in the NYU Global TIES for Children (NYU-TIES) series presents preliminary findings collected as part of the pre-pilot and pilot phases of one of their Play to Learn impact evaluations and a longitudinal study. The impact evaluation, led by NYU-TIES, investigates BRAC's flexible, hybrid home-visiting program in Cox’s Bazar which seeks to engage fathers as well as mothers and the longitudinal study features three-cohorts from prenatal and birth which follow young Rohingya children through their first years of life. The data in this brief looks specifically at Rohingya fathers’ perceptions of play.

Global TIES for Children is excited to share some initial results from preliminary research concerning fathers’ involvement in children’s development in Rohingya refugee communities in Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh. The research was conducted as part of the LEGO foundation-funded Play to Learn project, a partnership between Sesame Workshop, BRAC, the International Rescue Committee (IRC), and TIES to provide and understand a range of early child development services for these communities. NYU’s research unearths.


Image credit: Ante Hamersmit (@ante_kante on Unsplash)

The second brief in our series aims to capture the point of view of young Rohingya children in order to provide context to how they may be mediating between their world of origin and the host society through play. Our data show that Rohingya children demonstrate a tremendous amount of spontaneous and creative activity in their everyday lives, despite the many challenges in the Cox's Bazar camps. This brief provides fresh perspectives into the remarkable resilience and creativity these young children possess.

The second brief in our series aims to capture the point of view of young Rohingya children in order to provide context to how they may be mediating between their world of origin and the host society through play. Our data show that Rohingya children demonstrate a tremendous amount of spontaneous and creative activity in their everyday lives, despite the many challenges in the Cox's Bazar camps. This brief provides fresh perspectives into the remarkable resilience and creativity these young children possess.