SAT-7 Arabic Satellite TV ACADEMY

Millions of Arab children across the Middle East & North Africa have no access to education. SAT-7 ACADEMY is a range of satellite TV programs providing education for kids, and training for parents and teachers to create dynamic learning environments.

Vision

To inspire impactfully, life-long learning across the Arabic-speaking world to help build better communities and contribute to the good of society and culture.

Mission

To provide Arabic-speaking viewers from all parts of society with complimentary educational opportunities. By providing this support, we aim to equip the next generation with the tools they need to build a better society, one marked by tolerance and creative free thought; and help teachers and parents to develop a more effective, child-centric approach to learning.

As a lack of access to education is a major issue across the world, other organizations could use this same model.

Over 15 million Arab children are out of school in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA). In the MENA there are several on-going and evolving structural challenges that are proactively degrading educational establishments and systems. These structural issues include low quality education, social and cultural barriers, conflict, displacement and natural disaster amongst other issues, which all work to prevent children from learning or accessing education.

In addition to insufficient access to education, the existing educational infrastructure within the Middle East & North Africa is of markedly low quality, as teachers in the region emphasize rote learning and the use of outdated pedagogical methods. This means that even the children who are fortunate enough to have access to education are not receiving the necessary education to prepare them for today’s society.

With this deficit of education children of the MENA region are more vulnerable to radicalization and poverty. 

Approximately 80% of people in the MENA region have access to satellite TV, while even a majority of refugees have access.

SAT-7, celebrating its 25th anniversary this year, is based in the Middle East with four 24/7 satellite TV channels in Arabic, Turkish & Farsi and a viewing audience of over 25 million people. 

SAT-7 ACADEMY airs on SAT-7 ARABIC and SAT-7 KIDS, both 24/7 Arabic channels. Both are broadcast on Nilesat, which is one of the most popular satellite platforms in the region.

Launched in 2017, SAT-7 ACADEMY is a bouquet of programs providing education for kids, and training for parents & teachers to create dynamic learning environments.

My School is the flagship program that teaches children aged 6-9 primary-level Arabic, Math, Science, English and French. 

Other programs train parents & teachers to create dynamic learning environments.

SAT-7 ACADEMY is a bouquet of programs that provide education for children and training for parents and teachers.

My School is in Arabic and serves children throughout the Arab World. Conflicts in countries like Syria, Iraq, Yemen, Libya, etc. makes this lack of education access a major regional crisis.

In Syria alone, half of the population has fled. Those who remain face a schooling crisis. At least 4,200 schools in Syria have been damaged, destroyed, militarized, or used as shelters by internally displaced people. 

While My School focusses on kids 6-9 years old, a broader age range of 5-12 is impacted.

In Puzzle, SAT-7, together with NGO's Right To Play and Humanship have created an exciting gameshow that offers children learning not found within the four walls of a classroom. Through fun, engaging games and music, Puzzle is empowering young viewers to understand their human rights and advocate for positive change.

For teachers & parents, Follow Up addresses the education gap in the MENA region, which has widened due to COVID-19 and government lockdowns, as only those with the capabilities and means to learn effectively remotely have been able to learn in any meaningful way. 

The Coach is watched by parents all over the Middle East. This program seeks to create the foundations for a safe environment for children everywhere in the region

Expert Advice allows experts in their respective fields to share their knowledge to be applied in people’s daily lives. The speakers range from doctors, psychologists, social scientists, natural scientists, teachers and engineers, introducing viewers to the latest insights in STEM subjects, robotics, artificial intelligence, mental health, hygiene, or the educational system.

Kids are often the most vulnerable in conflict zones. Missing out on years of education can have long lasting ramifications like poverty, or in terms of the Middle East, radicalization.

SAT-7 ACADEMY is a technology-based solution that ensures all primary school learners have access to quality and equitable learning environments. 

ACADEMY increases the engagement of learners in remote and hybrid environments. Beyond subjects like reading, math, etc., it addresses the mental health of learners and promotes virtues like tolerance.

ACADEMY also trains teachers to adapt their pedagogy, while helping parents to foster their children's overall development.

SAT-7 ACADEMY was launched in 2017 and has an established regular viewership. As we continue to refine the programs, we are expanding its impact via social media and on our own new video-on-demand platform.

SAT-7 is an interdenominational Christian broadcaster so most of the programming is focussed on giving encouragement to the marginalized Christian community. SAT-7 has a positive reputation in the MENA region as it does not attack any other religions. My School does not have any overt Christian content and is part of our "Social Impact" programming.

SAT-7 ACADEMY uses a traditional technology platform to provide education to under-served children. Providing training for teachers & parents to foster dynamic learning environments is also unique.

This model could spur other larger Arabic satellite broadcasters to copy this initiative. Beyond the Middle East & North Africa, similar inequities exist in education where this model could be replicated as well.

Currently - Approximately 1 million

In one year - Approximately 1.2 million

In five years - Approximately 2 million

Through independent research, we measure our viewership every two years. And through our Audience Relations department, we evaluate the type of impact that is occurring in our viewers.

SAT-7 has approximately 225 full-time staff, with a number of contract employees in program production. 

Approximately 10 full-time employees are involved in ACADEMY, as well as another 10 contract employees.

SAT-7, now celebrating its 25th anniversary, is a trusted television broadcaster throughout the Middle East & North Africa with over 25 million viewers.

SAT-7 is a Christian organization with an International Council that is reflective of the diverse faith communities throughout the Middle East & North Africa. Coptic Orthodox, Maronite Catholic, & Protestant Church leaders from the region give direction to our organization.

SAT-7 also builds bridges with the Muslim-majority population throughout the region, promoting tolerance for all peoples.

Beyond the funding, SAT-7 ACADEMY would greatly benefit from developing more partnerships with other nonprofits in the education field to develop innovative programs together.

An example of an existing partnership is our program, Puzzle, where SAT-7 is working with NGO's Right To Play and Humanship to create an exciting gameshow empowering young viewers to understand their human rights and advocate for positive change.

We trust there's the potential for numerous other partnerships.

SAT-7 has a handful of secular foundation partners but needs help to expand this base, specifically for its ACADEMY programming that has no overt Christian content.

SAT-7 would also benefit from guidance in measuring ACADEMY's qualitative impact.

We would love to explore how SAT-7 could possibly work with Solve Members Dubai Cares and the Queen Rania Foundation on new programs or special initiatives for ACADEMY. And for the development of an interactive education website for ACADEMY, HP could be a great strategic partner.

SAT-7 ACADEMY was primarily created for refugees and IDP's. A majority of this population has access to satellite television and considering the environment in which many of them still live, rely heavily on satellite TV for news, education, etc.

Funding would be used to develop more programming addressing the unique needs of these displaced children, like trauma counseling, health & hygiene, tolerance, etc.