Honoring Maimouna Traoré, a brave pioneer of the movement for the abandonment of FGC in Senegal

by Molly Melching, Tostan Founder and Executive Director

Maimouna Traoré and Molly Melching at the tenth anniversary
of the Malicounda Bambara declaration.

We were very saddened today to learn of the death of Maimouna Traoré, Coordinator of the Community Management Committee (CMC) and Chair of the Advisory Committee of Women of Malicounda Bambara, a village in western Senegal.  

Maimouna was one of the first pioneers of the female genital cutting (FGC) abandonment movement that is sweeping through West Africa.  She led the group of courageous women who on July 31, 1997 stood before 20 journalists, government and NGO officials and declared before the world the decision of their village to abandon FGC, a tradition which had been practiced for centuries in their community.

Their decision was not only courageous, but ignited national dialogue on the subject. There was much initial criticism around the abandonment and Maimouna and the women of Malicounda Bambara often had to vigorously defend their decision, which they did using their knowledge of human rights and by encouraging dialogue around how the practice hindered African development. 

Following the Malicounda Bambara declaration and another declaration by Nguerigne Bambara in November 1997, the then-President of Senegal, Abdou Diouf announced his support for the declarations and FGC abandonment in a speech to the 33rd Congress of the International Federation of Human Rights held in Dakar on November 20, 1997. 

Now, 15 years later, over 5,000 communities in Senegal have abandoned FGC, and the Tostan approach has been incorporated in Senegal’s National Action Plan for FGC Abandonment 2010-2015. 

None of this would have been possible without Maimouna Traoré.  

Maimouna’s impact on the lives of girls and women across Senegal and her belief that education is the key to positive social change cannot be overstated.  Despite many hardships and criticism following that first announcement by herself and the "evolutionary" women of Malicounda Bambara, her commitment never wavered.   

As Maimouna affirmed:  "Today we are more in harmony with our traditions and culture. We are Bambara more than ever. We strengthened our positive traditions and abandoned those that are harmful to our well-being. We changed because we are now more responsible and caring and proud of what unites us. "

The courage and determination of Maimouna Traoré will continue to inspire millions of women across Senegal, Africa, and the world.   

Maimouna, we valued your spirit, knowledge, friendship; you will leave behind a legacy that will pass through the generations. You will be greatly missed.

Melinda Gates Visits Empowered Community Members in Senegal

Molly Melching, Tostan Executive Director, explains to Melinda Gates how Tostan teaches cell phones with the metaphor of a mango tree.

On Sunday 8th July, the community of Kolma Peulh warmly welcomed a special visitor.

Melinda Gates of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation visited this small rural village in the Kaolack region of Senegal, West Africa on her way to London where she opened the Family Planning Summit 2012.

Ms. Gates spent three hours with women, men, and children of Kolma Peulh discussing the impact that empowering basic education can have on improving women’s health, particularly in the areas of family planning, female genital cutting(FGC), and child/forced marriage.

Throughout the visit, women confidently spoke out about these formerly taboo issues and explained how they had negotiated deep social change with their husbands, religious leaders, and neighboring communities, creating a broad consensus to end practices harmful to their health and that of their children. Community members from Kolma Peulh and neighboring villages are participating in the Tostan Community Empowerment Program (CEP), a three-year non-formal education program in national languages developed for those who have little or no access to formal schooling.

Ms. Gates was particularly interested in learning how social norms affect communities’ attitudes and behaviors and how the CEP provides a holistic framework for all community members to address issues on their own terms.

One man commented that when he learned about the negative consequences of women having children year after year he was keen to begin birth spacing in his own family. "Before we were nearsighted. Nearsightedness of the eyes is bad, but nearsightedness of the heart is worse. We have now adopted practices that we know will lead to better health for women and children in the community and have ended practices that don’t. In the past, we felt we could never question traditional beliefs and didn’t have the right information and social support to change."

Tostan Executive Director Molly Melching noted that the visit was well received by all involved.  “Tostan’s work is community-led and all of us at Tostan were thrilled that the people of Kolma Peulh had the opportunity to share their accomplishments, passion, and vision for the future with Ms. Gates, directly through an extended, open dialogue."

Traveling Is Learning: Abdoulie Sidibeh Reflects on His Experience at the Women in the World Conference in NYC

The Tostan panel at the 2012 Women in the World Summit

Tostan Regional Volunteer in The Gambia Lilli Loveday interviews Youth  Activist Abdoulie Sidibeh in the second installment of our two-part series documenting Abdoulie’s journey from The Gambia to the Women in the World Summit in New York City.

To read the first installment of this series entitled “From The Gambia to NYC: Tostan Youth Activist Abdoulie Sidibeh to Speak at Women of the World Summit This Week,” click here.
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When asked to summarize his experience of the trip, Abdoulie quoted a Mandinka proverb, saying, “tamo mu karang le ti,” “traveling is learning.” Abdoulie’s personal mission when going to America was to learn and gain as much knowledge as possible to bring back to his community. Laughing, he shared that before he had the opportunity to go to America, his friends used to mock him for spending his afternoons sitting with “women as old as his mother” discussing human rights and health issues. But now, he said, they have realized what opportunities can be brought through education and they are eager to learn as well.

Abdoulie was invited to speak at the conference on Saturday, March 10, the same day that US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton delivered her call for women to commit to their own empowerment. Joining that call as a male advocate for women’s empowerment, Abdoulie felt honored and proud to be involved in such an important and prestigious event, “I am so happy and so proud. I was the only youth from the whole Tostan program and that made me so, so happy. I was glad meeting Hillary Clinton. I knew her name since Grade 6 and used to see her pictures.”

Abdoulie (far left) speaking on stage

Alongside Tostan Executive Director Molly Melching and Community Activist Demba Diawara, Abdoulie delivered his speech about child/forced marriage and female genital cutting (FGC) with unbridled confidence. He explained, ‘‘No! I did not feel nervous! I believe in what I said and what I have learned through Tostan…. There were very intelligent people there who know what is going on in Africa and who can look for a solution.’’ During his speech Abdoulie captured the audience’s hearts with a personal account of his sister who was forced to leave school early so that she could marry. He highlighted the difficulties families face when trying to finance their children’s education, explaining how economic hardship is often the driving force behind early marriage: ‘‘my sister could not go further than Grade 9. There was no money, so my father did not know what to do…a man came to marry her. My sister still regrets it because she does not have her education and my father realizes his mistake now.’’

Reflecting on the summit and his time in the city, Abdoulie said, “you know, seeing is believing and it was amazing! What I was seeing was like in the screens!” Abdoulie was impressed by everything he saw. When asked if it was difficult to return to Bassending, he commented, “I went to America for a purpose. Many told me not to come back. They said America is a place where everything is okay. If you come back, you continue to suffer. And yes, the place is fine, the place is nice. The roads are big, the buildings are good. I love the place! But I know I must come back. [The Gambia] is my home.”

Abdoulie’s commitment to his community and to his future is remarkable. He plans to become an educator or nurse so that he can help improve the health and well-being of his community. In commenting on the grandeur of New York City, Abdoulie stated, “although we [people of the Gambia] do not have the same resources, if we have education, we can make small changes.” Abdoulie is a wonderfully enthusiastic, committed and considerate young man, and it is without a doubt that he will make changes, big and small, towards the betterment of his community and country.

International Women’s Day 2012: Tostan Honors CEP Facilitator Ayda Njaay

A message from Molly Melching, Tostan Founder and Executive Director:
 
Today, International Women’s Day, is a day to celebrate the power of women, in our lives and in our world. It is a day for all of us—men and women, old and young—to recognize the girls and women who every day support and transform us, and our families, communities, organizations, and societies. 
 
Today at Tostan we are honoring women worldwide by remembering a truly special woman, Ayda Njaay. Ayda was a foundational member of the Tostan family, a long-time facilitator and educator. Sadly, after a battle with cancer, Ayda passed away this past December, but her life’s work and memory continue on after her.

In her honor, we at Tostan are dedicating International Women’s Day 2012 to Ayda, who is the embodiment of an empowered woman.

Tostan facilitator, Ayda Njaay

Wife to Abdul Karim Njaay and mother of seven, Ayda was born in 1967 in the village of Njaayan, Senegal. After her marriage, Ayda moved to her husband's village of Saam Njaay, where in 1988 she participated in one of our early nonformal education programs. During this program, Ayda learned to read, write, and actively participate in discussions on human rights, health, and hygiene in a model that would later become Tostan's Community Empowerment Program (CEP). 

When I first met Ayda, I was drawn to her tenacity and self-initiative. She had so much energy! And you noticed it right away, partly because she was physically such a small person, but also because her positive, determined outlook was infectious. 

During one of our early conversations, I asked about her life goals, and Ayda told me she dreamed of becoming a teacher so that she could share her recently acquired knowledge and further the development of her community and country. Once I heard this, I consulted with Ayda’s husband and the village chief of Saam Njaay and arranged for Ayda to work with me. 

In 1992, Ayda became a Tostan facilitator, responsible for implementing our education program in a village. She led discussions on the Tostan modules, monitored activities, and helped organize social mobilization activities led by participants. For the past 20 years since her first training, her work and tireless dedication helped spread the three year Tostan program from her own village to others, including DarouToure, Kanene Diop, Ndipo Sao, Sao Mboulem, and Malicounda Bambara in three regions: Thiès, Kaolack and Louga. 
 
Along the way, Ayda met with different government officials and dignitaries, including then-First Lady Hillary Rodham Clinton. Never discouraged by setbacks or challenges, Ayda was always at the forefront of our team, leading the way for other women and community members. Her willingness to help improve the lives of others was so contagious that it easily won over the support of her family and community and allowed her to work with a freedom and respect that is not always afforded to Senegalese women. 
 
In 2007, Ayda experienced a strange pain in her chest that was originally diagnosed as a cyst and was told to go home. But a year later it was evident that it was much more. Sadly, Ayda found out that she had a tumor. After surgery and three years of fighting the cancer through radio and chemotherapy, her body finally succumbed.
 
It is hard to overstate Ayda’s legacy. She personally trained hundreds of women, girls, boys, and men; she also trained other Tostan team members who to this day are reaching hundreds more. She coached colleagues, welcomed visitors, and mentored gifted students.  
 
Ayda’s husband Abdul knows of a more personal legacy, and he talks of a beautiful family who will follow in her footsteps. Their 16-year-old daughter Assa is in her fourth year of secondary school. She reads and writes in Wolof and French and hopes to join the military so that she can also help develop her country like her mother. Meanwhile their son, Maggey, is 17 years old and is in his third year of secondary school. He also reads and writes in Wolof and French and says he knows a bit of English too. He dreams of attending college.
 
While grieving the loss of Ayda, I heard so many Tostan colleagues use certain words to describe her: perseverant, courageous, bold, hardworking, and generous. For so many of us, Ayda became a living example of our mission to empower African communities, a figure of inspiration and hope to everyone with whom she worked.  
 
Ayda, you were and are an inspiration to us all, and I can think of no better way to honor your life and work than to dedicate this International Women’s Day—a day about the power and dedication of women worldwide—to you, to the lives you changed, and to the bright and vibrant life you lived. May all of us at Tostan honor you by carrying on your tireless work for women, for our communities and societies, for peace and human dignity for all.
 
May the earth of Saam Njaay be light upon you.

Learn more about Tostan's work and see the full article at our website. 

From The Gambia to NYC: Tostan Youth Activist Abdoulie Sidibeh to Speak at Women of the World Summit This Week

Gamiban youth activist Abdoulie Sidibeh

From March 8-10, inspiring leaders and activists will be in New York City to share their visions for social justice, human rights, and gender equality at Newsweek and the Daily Beast’s 3rd Annual Women in the World Summit. Representing Tostan this year at the summit will be Tostan Founder and Executive Director Molly Melching, Director of Strategic Development Gannon Gillespie, Senegalese Community Activists Imam Demba Diawara and Cheikh Diop, and Gambian Youth Activist Abdoulie Sidibeh.

Twenty-year-old Abdoulie Sidibeh is from the community of Bassending in the Upper River Region of The Gambia and was first brought to the attention of Women in the World organizers for his work in the 3rd Annual Gambian Youth Caravan. In October of 2011, Abdoulie and over 120 youth participants in Tostan's Community Empowerment Program (CEP) staged a 5-day campaign for human rights and social change. Through group discussions, skits, and song, they traveled from community to community to raise awareness on the most pressing issues facing Gambian youth and their communities today, including drug use, child marriage, and teenage pregnancy.

Lilli Loveday, Tostan's Regional Volunteer in The Gambia, recently sat down with Abdoulie to discuss his strong commitment to learning and sharing, his involvement with Tostan and the Youth Caravan, his thoughts on his upcoming trip to the United States for the Women in the World Summit, and his hopes and goals for the future. 

Continue on to read their conversation as reported by Lilli

**Update: Click here to watch a video of the full Women in the World panel featuring Abdoulie and moderated by Half the Sky author Sheryl WuDunn. (Note: Video begins with a clip from an upcoming Half the Sky documentary)**

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Conversation with Abdoulie Sidibeh by Lilli Loveday

Abdoublie Sidibeh is eager to attend the Women in the World conference as a representative of Tostan Gambia and believes that the event will provide him with an invaluable opportunity to learn. This learning, Abdoublie says, will not only benefit him but also his community. ‘‘I am motivated about going,” he explained, “because many important things will be discussed and whatever important things I learn I will take back to Bassending.’’  

Indeed, learning is at the heart of Abdoulie’s commitment to the Tostan program. After finishing his formal, grade school education, Abdoulie's mother, a Tostan CEP participant, encouraged him to attend Tostan's CEP classes as well. Since then, Abdoulie committed himself to developing his own awareness on issues such as democracy, human rights, and health and is dedicated to sharing this knowledge with his peers. Abdoulie explained, ‘‘even in formal education we did not learn about the things that Tostan teaches us…I’ve learned about the negative aspects of drugs; I’ve learned about democracy, about things that will bring us together as a community and things that do not contribute to a good life. I share what I’ve learned. For example, when my friends are smoking, I sit with them and explain why it is bad.’’ 

Gambian youths marching in October of 2011

Abdoulie is a member of the Bassending Drama Troop, which performs plays to inform the wider community about issues discussed in Tostan classes. These plays provide a lively and enjoyable way to convey serious messages. During the most recent Youth Caravan this past October, Abdoulie played an important role in organizing the 5-day campaign. Abdoulie performed in a play about early pregnancy in which he acted the role of a young man who seduces a girl and impregnates her. He said, "it is important that people understand the health implications of such things so that they will think about their behavior more carefully beforehand.’’

Abdoulie is passionate about sharing knowledge, which is why he has aspirations to become a teacher. “I would love to teach English or history…or to be a Tostan facilitator. I believe that if you are teaching, you are giving. In the same way that I’ve been taught, I want to share my small understanding with others.’’ Abdoulie is ambitious about his future and plans to study Information Technology upon his return to The Gambia, which he hopes will equip him with highly sought after skills that he can apply in his chosen career. 

Abdoulie is excited about everything that Women in the World Summit has to offer. It is an incredible opportunity for him to be part of the event, and also for Tostan Gambia to be represented at an international forum. Abdoulie is confident that he will gain a lot from the experience, ‘‘I am very happy about going because I will fulfill my promise. I promised that I will learn and that’s exactly what I plan to do.’’     

ANNOUNCEMENT: Molly Melching to Speak at FGC Abandonment Event with U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton on Feb 16



Holding a banner that reads, "We can fully abandon FGC
 in Senegal," Tostan CEP participants proudly marched
 to a public declarationfor FGC abandonment in May 2011.



Invited by U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, Tostan Founder Molly Melching will speak at a high-level panel discussion commemorating International FGC Abandonment Day this Thursday, February 16th, at the U.S. Department of State.

The event will be hosted by Secretary Clinton and moderated by Ambassador Melanne Verveer, Ambassador-at-Large for Global Women's Issues. The panel will also feature Imam Magid, All Dulles Area Muslim Society (ADAMS Center), Thomas von der Osten-Sacken, General Manager for Crisis Assistance and Development Co-operation (WADI) in Germany, Nafissatou J. Diop, Director of the United Nations Population Fund and United Nations International Children’s Fund Joint Programme on FGM/C, and Zeinab Eyega, Executive Director of the Sauti Yetu Center for African Women. 

Follow @Tostan on Twitter for live updates from the event beginning at 1:00pm EST on the 16th. Also, live streaming of the event is available here.   

For additional information, click here to see the official event announcement.   

"Change From Within": article by Molly Melching published in Population Connection’s The Reporter

Gambian youth vocalize their stance on child/forced marriage
 during an awareness raising march through
Basse, The Gambia in October 2011.

Youth from across The Gambia were recognized for their efforts to lead social change in a feature article published in the February edition of Population Connection’s The Reporter. The article entitled “Change from Within: Youth Leading Movement for the Abandonment of Child Marriage in The Gambia,” was written by Tostan Founder and Executive Director Molly Melching and spotlighted the energy and success of the third annual Tostan Gambia Youth Caravan. Organized by 170 Gambian youth who participated in Tostan’s Community Empowerment Program (CEP), the caravan gave teens the opportunity to share their belief in the importance of human rights with their social networks and to convey the responsibility each person has to advocate for positive, community-led change. 

To read the full article in the February edition of The Reporter on Population Connection’s website, click here.

Tostan Change Makers Share Insight with Orchid Project and DFID Minister

Earlier in the month Rt Hon Stephen O'Brien MP, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for International Development in the UK, accompanied Tostan partner Orchid Project on a visit to the Tostan office in Dakar, Senegal. Following an opportunity to speak with key community members who enacted positive change in the first Tostan communities, Orchid Project Founder Julia Lalla-Maharajh wrote about the moving experience they shared in this blog post.

This post originally appeared on Orchid Project's blog on December 1, 2011 and is reproduced with Orchid Project's permission. To view the original post on the Orchid Project blog, click here.

“I see you as social evolutionaries.” ~ DFID Minister to Senegalese community members working to end female genital cutting

This morning, we welcomed the Rt Hon Stephen O’Brien MP to Tostan’s offices in Dakar in Senegal. He is pictured here with community members who told him in eloquent and articulate terms how it is possible to end female genital cutting.

Duusu Konate

Duusu pictured second left in the photograph talked about the Tostan approach and how participants in their respectful community empowerment programmes learn about their human rights. She outlined all of the things that communities learn: to read and write, about health issues, income generating activities and how to manage them. Her village had identified the need for a health hut and built and stocked it themselves. She also told the minister that she is now a solar engineer who installed solar power in her village whilst training others in her community.
But most of all, she emphasised that villagers now understood that they had a right to be free from all forms of violence. They also know that they have a responsibility to uphold this right – that no one should harm or be harmed. This was the first step in understanding why FGC should be ended.

Marietou Diarra

Marietou then talked about “the tradition” – which is how she refers to FGC. She said that she had had many problems as a direct result of FGC. “Really, I have had many horrible things happen.”

Marietou outlined her story and told of her two daughters who died from the practice. She spoke with such dignity and halfway through her testimony, she started to cry with the memory of the moment. I was sitting next to her and found my emotions hard to keep in check. This is the first meeting Ministerial meeting that I have participated in, where I have been in tears. For those who would like to learn more, I would encourage you to watch Marietou telling her story in full here to Molly Melching.

 In spite of how greatly Marietou was affected, when Demba Diawara (see below) came to her village to start discussing FGC with other villagers, she walked away. The tradition was so strong that she was unable to question it. Three times, she and others refused to listen to Demba.

Demba Diawara

Demba spoke about social networks and how when the villagers from Malicounda Bambara first came to him to say that they were having difficulty having chosen to stand up and abandon on their own, he realised that he had to reach out to his “wider family.” It transpires that this is really a very wide family! Family members link through different villages right across Senegal, but in the first instance, he “put on his shoes” and walked to 12 other villages. On 14 February 1998, the first community declaration was held.

Molly Melching, Founder of Tostan (pictured below with the Minister) told of how it was really that first village of Malicounda Bambara, but also Demba’s wisdom and that of other community members that allowed Tostan to understand how to really spread the abandonment of FGC – which now has led to over 6,200 communities choosing not to cut their daughters. It is entirely possible that Senegal could have ended this practice completely by 2015.

Oureye Sall

Oureye (pronounced Wari) opened her discussion by saying: “I was the one who practised cutting. It was the only job I knew.” She went on to outline that it was only once she had participated in the Tostan programme that she realised the real consequences. She learnt about germs: that they are invisible and that they are transmitted; she learnt that tetanus is a killer and that it was not the spirits that were causing girls to die.

Oureye had never had any formal education. She was married at the age of 14 to a man who was 55. Her only income had come from FGC. When she realised the harm she was doing, she decided that “peace and wellbeing of girls was more important.”

She also went to her imam and asked if religion said that FGC was required. The imam answered that: “Around you are many Wolof communities. They are religious people. Yet they do not practise FGC. What do you think?” From this, Oureye realised that religion did not play a part in FGC.

Overall, we hope that the Minister was impressed by his visit. We believe that our group represented the most important voices, those of the community. From my part, as a representative of a UK NGO and as a British citizen, I was quietly delighted that our political representative was able to listen to such an important message, in such a positive way.

We look forward to all working together towards an end to female genital cutting and making connections like these, I hope, are one of the respectful ways we can do this.

Forbes Magazine Names Molly Melching One of the Most Powerful Women in Women's Rights

As a follow up to Forbes Magazine Power Women List, Half the Sky authors Nicholas Kristof and Sheryl WuDunn named Molly Melching, Tostan Founder and Executive Director, one of the top ten women who empower other women worldwide. Listed among women such as Secretary Hillary Rodham Clinton, Melching is honored for her work to ensure respect for human rights.
 
To see full list, click here.

Tostan Partner Sister Fa, Winner of the 2011 Freedom to Create Prize

Award winner Sister Fa, Senegalese musician Baaba Mal and Tostan
Executive Director Molly Melching at the 2011 Freedom to Create Festival.

We are excited to announce that Senegalese hip-hop artist and Tostan partner Sister Fa was awarded the 2011 Freedom to Create Prize in Cape Town, South Africa this past weekend.  This award aims to honor “the courage and creativity of artists, and the positive influence of their work to promote social justice and inspire the human spirit.” Sister Fa exemplifies this courage and creativity as she uses her talent for music as a tool to promote dialogue about harmful traditional practices in her native Senegal, specifically female genital cutting (FGC).


Congratulations Sister Fa!

Click here for more on Sister Fa’s work and the Freedom to Create Prize.

Owning Their Human Rights: Molly Melching and Gerry Mackie Discuss Social Change on Wisconsin Public Radio

On November 3, Tostan Executive Director Molly Melching and UC San Diego Professor Gerry Mackie were interviewed by Jean Faraca of Wisconsin Public Radio about the realities of changing social norms and what it takes for a community to collectively abandon female genital cutting (FGC).  The two speakers were guests on Here on Earth: Radio Without Borders, a live radio show broadcast weekly that highlights international movements, world citizens and cross-cultural conversations from around the world.  During the hour long program called “Confronting Female Genital Cutting,” Molly and Gerry talked about the role of men, the importance of language and the basis of education in achieving social change.

Speaking to the process of abandoning FGC, Molly said:

“It’s not really the law, but rather people getting good information, it not being imposed but rather letting [individuals] make the decision and understanding why it was critical for their health and for the well-being of all the girls in their community.  We feel confident that those who did abandon [FGC], have really abandoned, and will not start again” (See minute 7:15).

Click here to listen to more insights from Molly and Gerry in the full WPR interview.

Inspiring Moments from the CGI Annual Meeting Captured on Film

Attended by heads of state, chief executives of companies, and global changemakers, including Tostan’s Molly Melching and Gannon Gillespie, the Clinton Global Initiative Annual Meeting serves as a forum for invested people to share ideas and make commitments to effect meaningful and lasting change in the world. Following this year’s meeting, which took place in New York City, September 20-22, CGI collaborated with Micro Documentaries to create a short inspiring video that shares pivotal moments and commitments made at the meeting. Watch the video below and see Molly make two cameo appearances!

Tostan on PBS Religion and Ethics Newsweekly!

On July 15th, Tostan was featured on PBS Religion and Ethics Newsweekly! PBS crew members Fred de Sam Lazaro, Tom Adair, and Nikki See traveled to rural Senegal to profile the abandonment of female genital cutting (FGC) among communities with which Tostan partners.



Discussing the unprecedented number of communities abandoning harmful practices, Molly Melching, Tostan’s founder and executive director, said: “Never in my wildest dreams could I have imagined that I would be sitting here years…[after the first public declaration], 13 years later, saying that 4,792 communities in Senegal had abandoned. In the beginning it was just unthought of, unbelievable, because it was so taboo.”

In 1997, 35 women in the village of Malicounda Bambara declared their abandonment of FGC and other harmful traditions upon learning about human rights and the negative effects of these practices through Tostan’s Community Empowerment Program (CEP), a human rights-based education program. From that first declaration, the movement has grown to include over 6,000 communities in six African countries.

The PBS crew was hosted by two communities involved in Tostan’s CEP. During their visit they met with CEP participants and Tostan team members as well as attended a CEP class, a community meeting, and a film screening. Tostan is currently collaborating with communities in eight African countries.

Click here or the image above to watch the PBS spotlight of Tostan!

Watch the full episode. See more Religion & Ethics NewsWeekly.

Exclusive Article on Molly Melching in the Financial Times

Molly Melching, Tostan’s Founder and Executive Director, was featured in the Financial Times article “Turning Senegalese” on June 24, 2011. Interwoven within Melching’s personal journey to Senegal, the author, Candida Crewe, discusses the development of Tostan’s unique approach to creating positive change in African communities. She describes how Melching founded Tostan in response to the development initiatives she saw fail when outsiders acted without properly consulting village residents. In contrast, Tostan works collaboratively with communities to equip them with the knowledge and the confidence to realize their own development goals. Today, Tostan’s human rights education program is fostering sustainable development in eight countries in East and West Africa.

The Element of Faith in the Advancement of Human Rights

Story by Courtney Petersen, Tostan Communications Assistant in Washington, DC

I sat in my chair, captivated, focusing my eyes on the strong, but kind Senegalese man to my left and my ears tuned to the English translation of his words from the person on my right.

“Human rights are divine rights,” he said. “It’s man’s relationship with his religion that must be reviewed.”

The man speaking, Mohamed Cherif Diop, Islamic Rights Specialist and Child Protection Program Officer at Tostan, was one of several human rights activists gathered at The Carter Center and Women Thrive Worldwide event in Washington, DC on April 7th. This event, hosted by Sojourners, was entitled “A Dialogue on Faith, Belief, and the Advancement of Women’s Human Rights in Africa” and featured an inspiring panel of traditional and religious leaders and women’s rights activists from Senegal, Liberia, and the Democratic Republic of Congo. Tostan’s Executive Director Molly Melching, Tostan staff from Dakar and Washington, interns, and Community Empowerment Program (CEP) participants from Senegal were all in attendance.



Karin Ryan, Director of The Carter Center Human Rights
Program, welcomed all to contribute to the dialogue on
faith, belief, and human rights.

The discussion that day was a satellite event of The Carter Center Human Rights Defenders Forum, which took place in Atlanta, Georgia a few days prior. Both the forum and satellite event were inspired by a speech given by former US President Jimmy Carter. In this speech he called attention to the fact that throughout history many religious leaders wrongly use religion as a tool to deprave women of their human rights. He quotes a statement by The Elders, whom he is a part of, saying, “the justification of discrimination against women and girls on grounds of religion or tradition, as if it were prescribed by a Higher Authority, is unacceptable."

Stirred by President Carter’s speech and further dialogue at the Defenders Forum, Diop echoed this sentiment at the DC event. Following insightful questions and comments by fellow activists, he made the clear point that human rights are not incompatible with religion, but rather human rights are the very essence of religious belief. He emphasized that human rights are divine rights for everyone, men and women. It is scripture, he argued, that reestablishes these human rights in society, specifically women’s rights, not the other way around. According to Diop, it is the job of men and women to revisit this idea of dignity, equality, and respect taught in scripture and then to use that knowledge to promote human rights in their communities.



Tostan team members at The Carter Center and
Women Thrive Worldwide event in Washington.



In an effort to raise awareness of this point among Muslims in Senegal, Diop compiled a list of Koranic verses that preach equality and profound respect for human rights, specifically the rights of women. It served as a call to his faith community to reevaluate their perception of the rights of all people.

He finished his comments by saying he and the other activists will return to Africa and will “build a critical mass of religious leaders to show [they] support the rights of women…to say religion does support this.” His words were met with an energetic round of applause, the sound itself symbolizing a call to action.

As I listened to the words of Mohamed Cherif Diop and the other determined and sincere religious and traditional leaders from across Africa, I recognized the truth in their statements. Regardless of which religious belief a person prescribes to, human rights make the foundation of that belief. By making religious and traditional leaders key actors in the movement to advance human rights worldwide, safety, respect, and equality for all people will be within reach for everyone.

To read more about the experiences of other human rights activists who attended The Carter Center Human Rights Defenders Forum click on the links below.

Molly Melching, Founder and Executive Director of Tostan

Marina Mahathir, Daughter of the Former Prime Minister of Malaysia and Long-time Columnist for The Star Online (Malaysia)

Tostan Participates in Carter Center Forum to Promote Women’s Rights

On April 3-6, Molly Melching, Tostan’s Executive Director, and four key Tostan team members from Senegal joined 35 other human rights advocates, religious leaders, and scholars at The Carter Center in Atlanta, Georgia. The inspiring and committed group gathered to discuss what role religious, traditional, and government institutions play in the protection and advancement of human rights.

Click here to read Tostan Executive Director Molly Melching’s reflection on the event.

FGC Abandonment is the result; Literacy, Problem Solving, and Community Empowerment are the means

On a recent trip to Senegal, Dr. Richard Besser, Senior Health and Medical Editor at ABC News, met Molly Melching and Demba Diawara, imam and spiritual leader of the Senegalese village of Malicounda Bambara. After speaking with these two change-makers, Dr. Besser recognized the complexity of changing social norms and the benefits of using a holistic, community-led approach─ like Tostan’s─to create positive social change. Continue reading to learn more about Dr. Besser’s insightful look into Tostan’s approach.

Dr. Besser's Notebook: Women's Rights in Senegal
By Richard Besser, M.D.
ABC News/Health
March 17, 2011

"When everyone wears no clothes you don't notice that you are naked."

Demba Diawara speaks in parables. It makes it very hard for me to understand him-- that and the fact that he speaks Wolof, a language native to Senegal. Thankfully, I have with me to translate, Molly Melching, a 60-year old woman originally from Illinois.

Mollie wears a long purple boubou and sunglasses. You might think that she would look incongruous in this little Senegalese village but in fact, I can't imagine her looking more at home anywhere in the world. We're sitting under the shade of a large neem tree talking with Demba, an elderly religious leader about something unspeakable, female genital cutting.

In many parts of the world, female genital cutting has been performed for thousands of years. The United Nations estimates that 3 million girls are cut each year. The practice is most prevalent in parts of Africa. The procedure, usually performed without any anesthetic refers to the ritual removal of part or all of the external genitalia for non-medical reasons. In its most severe form, the clitoris and labia are removed and the vagina is almost entirely sealed. It is a brutal act. There are no medical benefits of cutting; on the contrary, it is an extremely dangerous and often debilitating procedure. Apart from the incredible pain and trauma of the act itself, girls can die from hemorrhage and infection. Complications are often life-long. Women are at increased risk of infertility, childbirth difficulties, and urinary tract problems, the worst being fistula - a connection between the urinary tract and the vagina. Women with this complication continuously leak urine, and many are forced to live away from the rest of the village. Added to all this is the inability to ever have a fulfilling sex life.

For decades, international bodies have condemned the practice and many governments have made it illegal but there is little evidence that these measures actually decreased the number of girls who get cut. In many places it was simply driven underground...

Click here to continue reading full article on ABC News/Health.

Click here to read more about this article on Tostan's website.

International Women’s Day Celebration at the Dakar Women’s Prison

Story by Will Schomburg, Tostan Communications Assistant in Dakar, Senegal

As I arrived at Dakar’s women’s prison, any air of formality I expected was instantly swept away as a smartly dressed female prison guard, tapping her feet to traditional Senegalese music playing in the background, smiled and welcomed me warmly. March 8th marks International Women’s Day, an event celebrated annually at the Liberté VI Women’s Correctional Facility through the support of Tostan’s Prison Project. On this day of music, food and dance, inmates come together to celebrate their womanhood and look to their future.

The Prison Project, which began in the city of Thies, Senegal in 1999, has spread to five jails across Senegal. It provides incarcerated women and men with the opportunity to participate in Tostan’s Community Empowerment Program (CEP), which teaches literacy and numeracy skills as well as facilitates discussions on basic human rights and responsibilities.

Tostan staff dressed in matching outfits at the International
Women's Day Celebration at Liberté VI Women's
Correctional Facility in Dakar.

In Senegalese society, incarcerated women are especially ostracized and often rejected by their families, creating serious challenges as the former prisoners attempt to reintegrate into society upon release. When asked what she felt the biggest difficulty CEP participants in the prison faced, Fatou Faye-Fall, the dynamic and passionate Tostan facilitator in the prison, who tirelessly helped to organize the day’s events, responded, “It’s [reintegration] that they are most worried about. Prisoners know there is a lot of prejudice towards them in society and hope for acceptance and stability in their lives.”

Tostan attempts to address these problems by providing vocational training courses that teach prisoners skills such as hairdressing and fabric dying. These skills will help them to gain financial independence and hopefully ease their transition back into society. The project also provides micro-credit finance opportunities to released participants in order to help them start up small businesses and get back on their feet. These loans are often funded from money other detained women make from crafts and fabric sold while incarcerated.

As I entered the canopied patio where the day’s events were to take place, I couldn’t help but notice the swathes of orange, purple, and turquoise garments. Each woman’s outfit was slightly different than the last - some were simple, others were flamboyant and all were very stylish. The director of the prison shared a few words of thanks with the audience and praised the bravery of all women around the world.

Molly Melching, Tostan’s Executive Director stood up next to speak and encouraged the prisoners, especially on this 100th anniversary of International Women’s Day, to believe in themselves and find hope in their futures. That same message was echoed in the speech given by Robin Diallo, the Public Affairs Officer at the US Embassy in Senegal. When I spoke to Robin later I asked her why she thought the event was important, to which she explained, “Women still have so much to overcome to reach true equality, especially female prisoners who are so unfairly stigmatized. We need to not only highlight their problems but also give them hope for the future… And what a wonderful way to do it!”

The wafting aromas of our simmering lunch and the blaring mbalax hits being played on loud speakers inspired the prisoners to jump to their feet and dance. They were soon joined by members of the Tostan staff keen to join them in their celebration. Soon after, the director of the prison, Agnes, reappeared. Removed of her dark green suit, she wore an outfit of the same material as the inmates in a show of solidarity. Agnes jumped to the dance floor, encouraging others to join. Soon, prison guards were dancing arm in arm with others around them until inmates, guards, Tostan staff and other guests danced together, regardless of rank or age, in a wonderful, energetic blur. Hardly anyone by this point could stay seated and even I bobbed along to the great Youssou N’dour.

Following a delicious and highly filling traditional Senegalese lunch we sat back down to watch a variety of dramatic skits performed by the detainees that dealt with issues such as HIV/AIDS and other social concerns. Though dealing with difficult subject matter, they were able to address these issues with humor and flare, to the delight of the audience. At the end of the day, the joyous and eye opening celebration was rounded off by more music, poetry, and heartfelt words of thanks from the inmates.

Snowballs, Senegal and Social Change

Madeleine Balchan, a Global Citizen Year Fellow in Senegal, recounts in a recent blog post her first memory of building a snowman. This seemingly simple memory gains new meaning as she recognizes its similarities to positive development work, specifically Tostan’s community-driven approach to human rights and empowerment. Continue reading to learn more about Balchan’s thoughts on Tostan and development work.

Top: Tostan office in Dakar, Senegal
Bottom: Madeleine Balchan and other GCY Fellows

Snowballs

February 18, 2011

Madeleine Balchan

This is my first winter without snow.

I remember the first time I ever made a snowman. I scooped snow into my mittens and tried to form a ball, but the powder just crumbled apart and fell as I separated my hands. I watched in jealous frustration as my older brothers rolled their rapidly expanding snowballs around the yard. I knew I could do the pushing part, but I couldn’t get it started! Then my dad came and handed me a ball already half a foot in diameter. Using all the strength of my two-foot-tall-puff-jacketed self I slowly rolled the ball across our yard. Eventually, my snowball was the head of our family snowman, towering high in the front yard with 2 coal eyes and sticks for arms.

My father enabled me. I recognized something I wanted but couldn’t do on my own, and he gave me the help I needed to take things into my own hands and “run with it”. The most effective aid addresses the needs and wants of the receiver, and requires the end-user to push the ball along.

I’ve often talked about “developing countries” in the past. But “developed” countries are still developing. The cultures within families and organizations and countries are dynamic and always changing, always developing. I now approach the term “underdeveloped” with caution. This land rich in culture and history has developed, though perhaps not in ways apparent to the West.

We had the opportunity to meet with Molly Melching, a woman who left the “developed” US almost thirty years ago to commit herself to service in Senegal. Her response to people who gasp and wonder at her having given up the luxuries of the States? “This is no sacrifice. I’m living here because I love it.”

My favorite thing about TOSTAN, the non-profit Melching founded, is that after 12 years of service they looked back on their approach and totally changed it. They took out literacy as a focus of the program to fit into the culture of oral tradition. Their current strategy is to train one community member to lead community think-sessions based on Human Rights and the responsibilities that come with them. In these community sessions, they begin by valuing the positives, and then ask where they are not respecting the rights of everyone in the community.

TOSTAN is widely recognized for the number of villages that have ended the process of Female Genital Cutting. That was never a part of their goals. TOSTAN’s culturally sensitive educational approach to development empowers the community, but develops “only” in the direction, and “only” as far as, the community is willing to push their own snow-ball.

This Senegalese snowball has grown bigger, and broader, and farther than Molly Melching could have ever imagined or pushed it on her own.

To learn more about Global Citizen Year and application deadlines, please click here.

Advocate, Julia Lalla-Maharajh, Inspired by Recent Public Declaration

Julia Lalla-Maharajh, "passionate advocate" for the abandonment of FGC and founder of the Orchid Project, recently visited several communities where Tostan's Community Empowerment Program is in place. Her experience talking with community members and witnessing the excitement at Sare Ngai's public declaration left her energized, ready to continue working towards positive social transformation. Here is the full article from The Huffington Post:

Dancing to End Female Genital Cutting

February 8, 2011
The Huffington Post
Julia Lalla-Maharajh

I'm here in Dakar, Senegal. It's a long way from London, Davos and Ethiopia. I'm seeing different things, learning so much and marvelling constantly at the changes that are happening here on the ground and in communities.

As a "passionate advocate" to end female genital cutting, my story is a pedestrian one, mimicked (I'm sure) across the Western world. A lifetime of mortgage enslavement, corporate kowtowing and daily commuting on packed London Tube trains led me to rethink. My second life began about two years ago, when I headed out to Ethiopia to volunteer. It was in Addis Ababa that my eyes opened in wonder as I viewed the lives of women and girls around me. How had they been born into this life of hard work, of carrying loads far too heavy for their backs, of little schooling?

It got worse when I heard about female genital cutting, its scale and impacts. The shock I felt was tangible. On a trip to Lalibela, an ancient relic of a holy city in northern Ethiopia, I met two little girls who have stayed in my mind's eye throughout this journey. I wanted to talk with their parents, their community, beg for them not to be cut. But I knew I had no agency, no right, no legitimacy to intervene in anyone's culture in such a stumbling, righteous way.

Back in London, I volunteered with Forward learning about a better way to engage with communities. Rather incongruously, I appeared on the plinth in Trafalgar Square and exhorted crowds not to look away from this very complex, heart-rending issue.

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