'Super Sema' will debut the first eight-episodes on March 8 and will mark Africa’s first animated kid superhero series.
Kukua, a multidisciplinary media and technology startup that combines entertainment and education to inspire today’s generation of children, has announced its new partnership with Oscar-winning superstar Lupita Nyong’o.
The partnership not only includes the actress as a shareholder but also features Nyong’o as an executive producer of the Super Sema animated series, which is being billed as Africa’s first kid superhero animated series.
Fueled by STEAM superpowers, Super Sema follows the adventures of the titular extraordinary young African girl, Sema, who lives in the neo-African-futuristic community of Dunia.
Speaking about the partnership, Lupita Nyong’o, said: “I share Kukua’s goal to empower children through inspiring stories that feature characters in which the children see themselves reflected. I am delighted to be a part of this talented, female-led team of purposeful creators. As a Kenyan, I couldn’t be prouder of Super Sema’s introduction to the world and the opportunities Kukua provides for our local creative community to produce entertainment that reflects our culture.”
Lucrezia Bisignani, Founder of Kukua, added: “We are thrilled to announce that Lupita is a part of our company and our mission to empower children with the skills and capacity to dream beyond what they think is possible and to imagine and create a better world. Our team couldn’t be prouder to partner with Lupita, whose voice and talent has already inspired millions across the world. Together, we’re excited to build the next big global kids’ franchise, starting with the Super Sema animated series. Our aim is to continue to create content and products that inspire children to take what they’ve learned from Super Sema into the real world to invent, create, and play.”
Kukua’s COO Vanessa Ford commented: “74% of characters on TV remain white and only a few portray Black female leads in STEAM. As a Black girl growing up in North America who majored in science, I didn’t see anyone that looked like me when I watched cartoons or walked into a chemistry class.”
She continued: “Today when my children turn on their favourite programme, I want to know that they not only can see themselves positively reflected on screen but that they are emboldened to believe they too can be scientists, inventors and change-makers. Sema is the role model for today’s generation of children.”
The first eight episodes of Super Sema will debut on March 8, 2021, exclusively on YouTube TV.
