Filming in the Field: Lamin Fatty Shares His Experience at the ‘Stories of Change’ Participatory Filmmaking Workshop

This post is from Lamin Fatty, Tostan Supervisor in The Gambia. Lamin recently participated in a two-week participatory filmmaking workshop made possible with the collaboration and support of Venice Arts, the Sundance Institute, the Skoll Foundation, and the Swedish International Development Agency (Sida). Tostan organized the workshop as part of larger project to increase participant-led storytelling after receiving the 'Stories of Change' grant. To learn more about the workshop, visit our website. 

Photographs by Alisa Hamilton, Tostan.

Lamin Fatty and fellow workshop participant, Khardiata Bodian, practice using the cameras at Tostan’s training institute in Thiès, Senegal.

I recently took part in the participatory filmmaking workshop organized by Tostan in Thiès and Kolda, Senegal. The training consisted of both theoretical and practical elements and lasted for two weeks. 
 

The theoretical aspects gave me and the other eight participants an introduction to documentary filmmaking, an overview of the evolution of filmmaking and cinema, and insight into the fundamental concepts of visual storytelling with emphasis on light, sound, composition, and story. We learned how to use a Flip video camera and basic editing techniques, completed homework assignments, and took part in group critiques. I really enjoyed working with the trainers from Venice Arts because of the participatory nature of their presentations coupled with their cooperativeness, understanding, and friendliness throughout the training.

Venice Arts trainer, Brigid McCaffrey, demonstrates how to use the tripod.

For the practical part of the workshop, we traveled to the region of Kolda in southern Senegal and divided into three groups to produce three films for Tostan’s Peace and Security Project. For this portion of the workshop we learned how to use higher quality video cameras and sound equipment.

My group made a film in the village of Karcia, 30 kilometers away from Kolda, about conflict resolution and inter-ethnic marriage. The film tells the story of a man, Oumar, and a woman, Aissata, who come from different ethnic groups; they fall in love and wish to marry despite resistance from their families. A marriage between two different ethnic groups was regarded as impossible even ten years ago and is still a source of conflict between families and communities. The film we made provides an example of how this kind of traditional conflict can be overcome with open minds and communication.
 

The filming process involved several stages. We started by meeting with the village chief and local imam to inform them of our activities and make sure they were in agreement. Over the course of five days, we gathered images of the village and conducted several interviews. We interviewed the coordinator of the Community Management Committee (CMC), a mother and a daughter, the couple, and Aissata’s grandfather. My favorite interview was with Aissata’s grandfather because he was very comical and reminded me of a typical village elder.

Lamy Fatty films family members at the home of the CMC Coordinator in Karcia, Senegal.

The most challenging aspect of filming in Karcia was the initial resistance and even refusal of some community members to be filmed. Once we explained that the goal of the film was to tell the story of Karcia as a positive example of conflict resolution, most people were willing. We also had difficulty quieting the curious village children!  

My favorite moment of the workshop was on the final day of shooting when we were filming the re-enactment of Oumar and Aissata meeting for the first time at the river. It was a beautiful scene and symbolic to have the two ethnic groups coming together at such a natural source of sustainable livelihood. 

Workshop participant, Khardiata Bodian, records sound at the river in Karcia on the final day of shooting.

The workshop was very important because it has given me, along with others from Tostan, a great opportunity to learn for the first time about the fundamental concepts of visual storytelling and to acquire new knowledge, skills, and techniques using the Flip video cameras. 
 

With my new knowledge and filmmaking skills, I will be able to contribute towards developing stories that can be shared in the countries where Tostan works and internationally. I will also be able to share what I have learned with the Tostan Gambia staff as a contribution to Tostan’s commitment to spread knowledge. I believe that building the capacities of Tostan’s local staff in skills such as filmmaking is essential in achieving Tostan’s mission of promoting sustainable development and empowering African communities.

Stay tuned for the final films on Tostan's YouTube channel! 


 

Community Management Committees (CMCs) Ensure Sustainability: Nutrition in The Gambia

Story and photograph by Elizabeth Loveday, Regional Projects Assistant at Tostan The Gambia 

Our year-end fundraising campaign has begun, and this year, the Greenbaum Foundation will match every gift received, which means your impact will be instantly DOUBLED! As a part of our campaign, we will spotlight different stories from Community Management Committees (CMCs) - democratically selected groups in each community trained in project development and management. CMCs plan and carry out local initiatives, laying the foundation for community-led change and ensuring the sustainability of the Tostan program.  Contribute to sustainable development by donating today!

The Community Management Committee (CMC) of Kolibantang has taken a lead in ensuring the health and well-being of their youngest community members. On October 25, the CMC led a Nutrition Day to provide practical advice to children and their parents on healthy eating. 

The morning was spent preparing nutritious meals made with local produce such as beans, dried fish, vegetables, and mangoes from the 84 trees planted by the CMC. Sixty-five children from Kolibantang and the neighboring community of Yero Bawol were served a delicious meal, and it is sure to be a lesson that neither the parents nor the kids will forget. 

With over 8,000 Gambian Dalasi (approximately $264) in their community fund, raised through monthly contributions and fundraising activities, the CMC of Kolibantang can continue leading community initiatives, similar to Nutrition Day, spreading community awareness on issues of child health and nutrition. 

 

The Community Empowerment Program: Encouraging Environmental Best Practice

Story by Amy Roll, Development and Outreach Assistant, Tostan, Washington, DC 

Mam Kolley moved to the village of Hella Kunda in The Gambia when the community was implementing the Kobi, the second phase of Tostan’s Community Empowerment Program (CEP).

The CEP is a three-year program providing community participants with essential knowledge and skills, setting a foundation for communities to take direct control of their needs and development. 

Originally from Farafenni in the Northern Bank Region of The Gambia, Mam was trained as a Forestry Officer and relocated to Hella Kunda in the Upper River Region (URR). Although she had completed her primary and secondary education, Mam was drawn to Tostan’s CEP and soon became a participant. She realized there was much to gain from the class sessions that championed community-wide participation in activities in Hella Kunda.  

As a Forestry Officer, Mam recognized that the CEP class sessions could help to teach people good environmental practices while taking into account their own culture and traditions. The CEP class sessions are taught in participants’ local languages, and the comprehensive and holistic program covers a range of topics from human rights and health and hygiene to literacy and financial management - creating meaningful dialogue within communities. As Mam says, “the CEP seeks to empower people through the use of their very positive African cultures and in a participatory manner where there is no teacher but rather a facilitator.”  

Mam is invested in The Gambia’s sustainable development and protecting the environment. She sees great value in the CEP for building a foundation on which communities can address development responsibly and learn about their rights and responsibilities to each other and the environment. Mam has conducted awareness-raising sessions on the impacts of littering and the importance of disposing of waste far away from main living areas. She has also taught community members how to make greenhouses and encouraged them to use stoves efficiently in order to decrease the number of trees cut down for firewood. 

Through her participation in Tostan classes, Mam has been able to share best practices that protect the environment and the community. She also now has a forum to mobilize community members to conduct collective action.
Having seen the positive environmental impacts in Hella Kunda, Mam told us that she hopes one day Tostan’s grassroots approach to education will also spread to her hometown of Farafenni.

Back to School: Tostan Classes Recommence With the End of the Rainy Season

Every year, communities in West Africa participating in Tostan’s Community Empowerment Program (CEP) take a break from class activities during the rainy season. During this time, families devote their energy to harvesting crops. In this article by Lilli Loveday, Tostan Regional Projects Assistant in The Gambia, Tostan participant, Aminata Jallow, shares her excitement for CEP classes to recommence. 

Aminata, 15, lives with her family in Jendeh, a community in the Upper River Region (URR) of The Gambia. Her community began Tostan’s three-year Community EmpowermentProgram (CEP) in the spring of 2011. With the rainy season over, Aminata is eager to recommence Tostan classes sharing: “Just before the centers closed for the rainy season, we were raising awareness about [female genital cutting (FGC)] and child/forced marriage. We are all getting ready to publicly declare abandonment of these practices.”

Aminata, who previously shared that she was hesitant about joining Tostan classes because she heard that they focused entirely on FGC, explains: “I have seen that Tostan does not just focus on FGC. I learned a lot of things that have no connection to FGC.” Tostan’s holistic program covers the topics of human rights, democracy, health, hygiene, problem solving, literacy, math, and project management.

In Tostan classes, Aminata was informed about the practice of FGC in a context that has allowed her to explore the impact that practices such as FGC and child/forced marriage have on women and girls’ health and human rights, and she has been encouraged to come to her own conclusion. Aminata states: “I do not think that the practices of FGC or child/forced marriage are good because you should not force things on people, and it is a forced thing.”

This year, Aminata will enter Grade 6 at Koranic School. She aspires to continue her education and find employment. Last year, Aminata intended to become a Koranic teacher but has since changed her mind: “I would like to be a nurse. It will mean I can care for others.” Aminata’s commitment to her education has remained firm: “To become a nurse, I have to concentrate especially on English and Science. We learn those things now even at Koranic School.” In order to provide students at Koranic schools with the same opportunities as pupils at English schools, the Government of The Gambia introduced a new curriculum to include English and other core subjects into Koranic education.

Furthermore, Aminata looks forward to gaining the valuable skills of reading and writing in Mandinka, her native language, in the upcoming Tostan class sessions: “I will learn how to read and write and that will help me to work here in Jendeh, for my people.”

Aminata, like most of the people from her community, has been busy over the last couple of months with the growing of groundnuts, one of the most important crops of The Gambia. During the rainy season and harvest, both Tostan classes and Koranic classes have paused but they will soon restart, and Aminata is excited about getting back to studying: “It is important to help with the harvest to support my family and my community, but I am happy that I will soon be learning again.”

Spotlight on Girls: Aja Drammeh

Through our work we have learned that as communities become empowered through human rights-based education, their ability to empower girls amplifies. In celebration of the first ever International Day of the Girl—11 October 2012—we are sharing the inspiring stories of five girls as they pursue their goals and build an empowered future for themselves and their communities in our blog series, Spotlight on Girls.

Now let’s turn the spotlight on Aja Drummeh from Bajon Koto, The Gambia.

Story and photographs by Lilli Loveday, Projects Assistant, The Gambia

Aja speaking about human rights and health at an inter-village meeting in her community

Five-year-old Aja Drammeh lives in the Bajon Koto community in the Upper River Region (URR) of The Gambia. At an inter-village meeting held in her hometown at the end of August, Aja inspired the audience as she shared her remarkable knowledge of human rights, democracy, and issues related to health and hygiene.

Participants at the meeting could hardly believe it when Aja confidently took the microphone and explained, “democracy means power for the people. ‘Demos’ means people and ‘kratos’ means power.” She went on to share, “to be healthy doesn’t just mean not being sick but it also means someone who has good social relationships and good living with others.”

After her explanations of democracy and health, Aja completed her lesson to the audience by giving key dates in The Gambia’s political history, including the day the country gained independence. This was the first time Tostan The Gambia had witnessed a girl so young speaking so publicly and expertly about information she learned during class sessions of Tostan’s Community Empowerment Program.

Aja gained this knowledge through her community's participation in Tostan's human-rights based education program, the Community Empowerment Program (CEP). Tostan began implementing class sessions in Bajon Koto for adults and adolescents in March 2011. Since the beginning, Aja has joined her mother in the adult sessions. She explained, “I go along with my mum every week…learning is my favorite thing!”

Her mother, Isatou Fatty, is immensely proud of her daughter's willingness to learn, and said, “Aja is the youngest of my ten children. I am overwhelmed by how much she knows, and I always encourage her to go further.” It even came as a surprise to Aja's mother and the other class participants that she absorbed so much information, “I always thought she enjoyed classes but I didn’t know she was taking in so much…children are very surprising! I feel very proud!”

Aja also likes how Tostan uses traditional African teaching techniques in the CEP classes. She added, “I enjoy the singing and the dancing in Tostan classes. I am very happy when I’m singing the Tostan songs.” Joining with her mother and other female participants, she sang two songs in her own language, Mandinka. Some of the song lyrics, which were written by CEP class participants, included:

“Open the door for me to enter, so that I may know my human rights and the responsibilities for those rights.”

Aja leading a Tostan song with her mother and fellow CEP participants

Although Aja is still very young, she has already been set on the path of learning. Aja completed a preschool class when she was three and will begin Grade 1 later this year at the Bajon Koto Lower Basic School. Most children start Grade 1 when they are seven, but Aja’s ability and the support she receives from her mother have given her a head start.

Isatou's commitment to her daughter's education is clear: “I want her to be well-educated and to have a better future…” Already as a five-year-old, Aja says, “I’ve learned my A, B, C and my 1, 2, 3 at school, and through Tostan, I’ve learned all about my human rights.”

With the support of a community who participated in Tostan’s human rights-focused program, the messages reaching Aja will shape her understanding of the opportunities available to her as she grows up, opportunities that will not be restricted by her gender.

Aja and her mother, Isatou Fatty

Show your support for girls by sharing Aja’s story with your friends and family! Looking for more? Read other Spotlight on Girls posts here.

VOICES OF TOSTAN: Fatoumata Sumareh

Sixteen year-old Fatoumata Sumareh was born in the community of Touba Sandu in the Upper River Region (URR) of The Gambia, where she lives with her mother and father and her younger siblings. Fatoumata participates in Tostan’s Community Empowerment Program (CEP), which began in her village in the spring of 2011. In this interview with Elizabeth Loveday, Tostan Project Assistant in The Gambia, Fatoumata describes how her participation with Tostan has changed her everyday experience and goals for the future.

Story and photographs by Lilli Loveday, Project Assistant, The Gambia



Fatoumata Sumareh



Fatoumata is a keen participant in Tostan’s CEP class sessions. She was inspired to join the program because of her desire to further her knowledge about themes in the CEP, such as human rights, health, literacy, and project management. In early 2012, her community completed the second phase of the CEP, the Kobi, which focuses on hygiene and health. As a result of learning about health and hygiene, many communities organize village clean-up days and promote hand washing and clean food preparation. These class sessions were of particular interest to Fatoumata:

"Tostan has strengthened our community’s awareness of why it is important to have a clean environment. We have learned that if you do not have a clean living environment you cannot be free from diseases and you cannot be healthy. I think understanding that is really important."

In addition to attending Tostan classes, Fatoumata is currently enrolled in Grade five of the Koranic school in a nearby village. “I enjoy this education and I love to learn! I want to learn everything I can.’’ Fatoumata is dedicated to her studies both with Tostan and at the Koranic school and has strong ambitions to take her education to the highest level: “In the future I would like to be somebody who is very educated. I would like to be a doctor.’’

Fatoumata’s parents approached her about marriage in 2011. She said: "They proposed marriage to me once… but I want to get married at 18 or above, I do not want to get married before that because I am not ready."

Through the CEP class sessions on human rights and health, parents are encouraged to let their children chose their spouses after they turn 18 and are educated on child protection and the harmful consequences of early pregnancy. Fatoumata’s parents respected her decision. Reduced rates of child/forced marriage have been some of the most prominent and visible results of the Tostan program.

Now that the village of Touba Sandu has completed the Kobi, it will begin the final phase of the CEP, the Aawde. The Aawde focuses on functional literacy in national languages and project management. Fatoumata is looking forward to learning how to read and write in Mandinka. At the moment, she is only literate in Arabic. 

Speaking with great confidence about her ambitions for the future and becoming a doctor, 16 year old Fatoumata is excited about participating in the Aawde and using her knowledge and skills to reach her goals and improve the well-being of her family and community. 

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.

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.’’     

"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.

Portrait of a Leader: Mbamata "Fatou" Jawneh

‘‘When I meet with a challenge that is when I have more courage to continue...’’

Mbamata Jawneh is a leader. Individual by individual, village by village, Mbamata is working towards a Gambia free of female genital cutting (FGC) and other harmful traditional practices. Mbamata is quick to express gratitude for the knowledge and skills she learned in Tostan’s human rights-based Community Empowerment Program (CEP), but it is clear that beyond her education, she also possesses a natural ability to lead. She has the tact, perseverance, and patience necessary to engage individuals in discussions about sensitive issues. These qualities have led her to achieve great things in her community, specifically to take a leading role in organizing social mobilization activities. 

Mbamata was elected as Lady President of her community, Mane Kunda–a predominantly Mandinka suburb of the town of Basse in the Upper River Region (URR) of The Gambia. Her dynamism in this role made her an obvious candidate for the role of Community Management Committee (CMC) Coordinator, and when Tostan began implementation of the CEP in 2007, she was elected to the position. With the support of her colleagues and community, Mbamata facilitated a birth registration campaign, which registered over 360 children for birth certificates; she organized weekly cleaning activities, which got members to sweep clean the community of trash, animal droppings, and standing water; and she coordinated fundraising events and women’s discussion groups. Within a short time, Mbamata demonstrated to her community that she is an active and formidable proponent for change in Mane Kunda. 

Possibly most notable, though, is Mbamata’s commitment to share the knowledge she has gained with her community and thereby live the Mandinka saying, ‘karang kabarra,’ meaning ‘practice what you know.’ In doing this, Mbamata also holds true to Tostan’s fundamental goal: to train communities with the skills necessary to lead locally-driven change. 

It was this drive that led Mbamata to form the first social mobilization team in The Gambia. Mbamata recognized the need to systematically engage interconnected villages in discussions about key topics, such as FGC. This process of information-sharing throughout social networks is what Tostan calls organized diffusion. Inspired by her passion to bring about the complete abandonment of FGC, Mbamata formed a group of nine committed individuals who meet and discuss important social and health issues with community members throughout their village’s established social network. 

Speaking candidly during one of her team’s visits to a neighboring community, Mbamata explained, ‘‘FGC should be abandoned because all the motives that lead us to practice it are not achieved. It does not prevent girls from being sexually active. It is not associated with Islam and it brings huge health complications.’’ 

In their efforts, Mbamata’s team began by approaching 25 communities and then expanded their reach to include an additional 40 neighboring villages. She is now the Social Mobilization Coordinator for three teams in the URR: a Mandinka, a Fula, and a Serahule mobilization team, each of which specialize in outreach to their respective ethnic groups.

“We approach communities with patience and we listen and speak to them,” said Mbamata in explaining her approach. “When there is resistance, we encourage individuals from the community who are supportive to speak to those who are opposed to what we have to say. The change comes from within.’’ 

Thanks to Mbamata and her teams’ efforts, a public declaration for the abandonment of FGC and child/forced marriage was held in June 2011. With over 1,800 participants from 117 communities in attendance, the event marked a huge success in the movement for positive social change. Mbamata is proud of her teams’ achievements, but is continually looking for ways to help her community progress even further. ‘‘We need to motivate,” she says, “with motivation many things [can] happen in the future.’’ 

Ever the optimist, when one of Mbamata’s teams meets with resistance in a community, she remembers what it is that inspired her to start the work in the first place: ‘‘a desire to see the future of the nation prosper...better health and better education will make a better Gambia.’’


Photos by Elizabeth Loveday, Tostan Regional Volunteer in The Gambia

Championing Human Rights: Celebrate Dec. 10, Human Rights Day

“We are ready to…collectively seek the respect of human rights,” Gambian youth Fatou Baldé stated confidently to a crowd of over 170 in Basse, The Gambia. In a five-day awareness raising event that culminated in a march through Basse to draw attention to human rights, Fatou and other youth from throughout The Gambia’s Upper River Region shared with peers, family members, community leaders and government representatives the utmost importance of human rights for all.

This Human Rights Day let us celebrate the determination of those, like Fatou, who are bringing human rights to the forefront of discussion in their community.

Click here to read more about the recent human rights awareness events led by Gambian youth.

Gambian youth encourage leaders and communities to "practice what you know": Part II

Story by Alisa Hamilton, Program Assistant in Dakar, Senegal, and photography by Elizabeth Loveday, Regional Volunteer in The Gambia


After five days of visiting communities and spreading awareness about youth rights, the youth caravan buses arrived in Basse for the final march to the Governor’s Residence of The Gambia’s Upper River Region (URR). The theme of the final day of activities, Kalong ka baara or “practice what you know” in the local language of Mandinka, captured the enthusiasm of the young people. They recognized that with their new found understanding of democracy and good governance, problem solving processes, and health and hygiene, came the responsibility to implement that knowledge.  Their hope for the final day of the caravan was to instill that same sense of responsibility within their local government.

Participants arrive in Basse, The Gambia
 for the final day of the youth caravan

As honking horns announced their arrival, participants spilled out of each vehicle and joined together at the Tostan office. The atmosphere was alive with excitement. Groups of girls in colorful fabric and matching white caravan shirts danced while waiting for the festivities to begin. Nearby Tostan supervisors began organizing people into lines and handing out large banners that read “Allow me to choose my husband when I turn 18” and “Child protection is a responsibility for all.” Once assembled, the group began their march through the town of Basse. Supervisors on noisy motorbikes and a marching band of teenage boys playing The Gambian national anthem led the mass of people along Basse’s main road. Crowds formed on the sides of the street to witness the celebration.

Youth participant Fatou Baldé reads the manifesto
out loud in Basse, The Gambia 

Upon reaching the governor’s residence, those holding the banners formed a large semicircle creating a powerful scene of young faces and written text. They then presented a manifesto. Read aloud in English by Tostan participant Fatou Baldé, the manifesto demanded action and support on the part of community members, local leaders, and government officials concerning unmet rights affecting the lives of Gambian youth. These rights included the right to the survival and development of every child, the right to basic education and access to higher education, the right to employment opportunities, and the right to safe recreational spaces.

Basse’s assistant governor, Mohamed Salu Diallo, responded to Fatou Baldé’s reading of the manifesto with admiration and respect.  Publically to the impressive scene of young Gambians, he confirmed his commitment to human rights and youth rights stating:

Human rights are undeniable rights and should be enjoyed by all, especially the youth who are our future leaders. Your manifesto has outlined key issues on the rights that correspond to the responsibilities of youth and their expectations from the government. We will do our utmost best to support you as responsible youth since you are [the] cream of our future society.

Tostan may have initiated The Gambia’s first annual youth caravan three years ago, but today, children and teenagers are the driving force behind this social mobilization event.

Gambian youth on the march to the Governor's Residence
in Basse, The Gambia

Fatou Baldé best summed up the youth caravan when she explained, “as young people preparing to become responsible future leaders, we are ready to disseminate the knowledge and skills we have gained to our peers and collectively seek the respect of human rights that directly or indirectly affect children and adolescents.”

With the success of this year’s youth caravan behind them, young people in The Gambia’s URR have taken ownership of the human rights introduced to them through Tostan’s Community Empowerment Program (CEP) and today, act independently with a strong sense of responsibility and purpose.

Did you miss Part I of “Gambian youth encourage leaders and communities to ‘practice what you know?’” Click here to read about the community discussions the youth inspired during the first five days of the youth caravan. 

Gambian youth encourage leaders and communities to "practice what you know": Part I

Story by Alisa Hamilton, Program Assistant in Dakar, Senegal, and photographs by Elizabeth Loveday, Regional Volunteer in The Gambia

Today marks a very significant event as it is an opportunity for young people to express sincerely the issues that affect us and solicit everyone to give us support, encouragement, and an enabling environment. As a result of the holistic Community Empowerment Program, we are ready, determined and encouraged to do our [utmost] best to realize the outcomes of the good intentions that the government of The Gambia has for the youth of this region.

                                                                   -Fatou Baldé
                                                                                    Tostan Youth Participant

On October 24, over 170 youth participants in Tostan’s Community Empowerment Program (CEP) marched from the Tostan office to the residence of the Governor of The Gambia’s Upper River Region (URR) in order to bring attention to one thing: their human rights. This visit was the culminating event of the third annual Tostan Gambia Youth Caravan, a five-day event funded by UNICEF. According to Assistant National Coordinator Ansou Kambaye, the objective of the caravan is to raise awareness of “youth rights and the problems youth encounter in their lives” among parents, elders, authorities, and community members.

Caravan participants during the march to
the Governor's Residence in Bassa, The Gambia

Five days earlier, one could feel the excitement as the youth began their march to Basse.  In each of the five villages they visited along the way, an afternoon ceremony was held, which included opening remarks, speeches from youth participants about human rights, a skit, and closing remarks.  Host community members in each village greeted the six caravan buses filled with participants and facilitators representing 73 Tostan villages with singing, dancing and drumming. An audience gathered under tents for the afternoon ceremony, which commenced with words of welcome from the local imam, Community Management Committee (CMC) leaders, and the president of the local women’s group. These remarks addressed the positive changes in the village since the implementation of the Tostan program. Marième Diambo, a CMC Coordinator in the Serehule village of Parai, attested that the CEP had improved relations among community members, “old, young, male and female,” as well as between villages. “This village is open to everyone,” she concluded, “Tostan is the same family wherever you come from.”

CEP participants from Bassendi perform
a play about teenage pregnancy

During the ceremony, youth participants spoke about various issues facing young people in The Gambia. In the Serehule village of Sotima, Tida Waaly warned against the dangers of teenage pregnancy—one harmful and common result of child marriage. She urged parents to let their daughters chose their husbands and allow them to marry only after they turn 18. In Parai, Adje Jawne stressed the importance of registering children at birth because of the benefits of having a birth certificate, including the ability to enroll in school and to obtain an official ID and passport. Fordé Sane also warned against the harmful effects of tobacco, alcohol, and marijuana use. She encouraged her peers to avoid drugs and focus on their studies.

Following speeches by youth participants, host community members performed a skit which addressed education and teenage pregnancy. The Mandinka village of Bassendi performed a powerful play about a girl who is seduced by a young man who offers her money. After having unprotected sex, she becomes pregnant. The girl dies in childbirth because her body is not physically mature enough to deliver the baby. While the animated acting during a scene in which the mother discovers her daughter’s pregnancy provoked laughter, the somber funeral song concluding the play clearly drove home the message that teenage pregnancy poses severe health risks for girls.

An animated play discusses teenage pregnancy

Final words from National Coordinator Bacary Tamba, International Program Officer Mohamed El Kabir Basse, and local authorities brought each afternoon to a close. Mariama Touré, the community health nurse in Parai, stated that the Tostan program compliments government efforts to promote sanitation. She also noted the decrease in the number of cases of teenage pregnancy. Myabi Dramé, the village city chairman, agreed that Tostan has made his job easier. “Before Tostan, it was hard to mobilize people,” he said, “now the [community] meets regularly to organize cleanup days and implement community initiatives.”

Caravan participants and host community members often expressed their enthusiasm for the open communication fostered by the youth caravan. A prominent community leader thanked God that she could stand up and speak her mind to the audience. “Today everyone is discussing issues – youth, elders, men and women,” she shared. “In the past, only men made important decision…now women are involved.”

A youth participant gives a speech
during the afternoon ceremony

When asked how participating in the caravan had changed her life personally, youth participant Tida Waaly commented that the caravan had given her the courage to talk about taboo topics, such as teenage pregnancy, in front of large audiences. She reaffirmed that she would never have had the confidence to do this before.

At night, host communities held celebrations with dancing, poetry recitations, and cultural entertainment. While the caravan schedule was packed, participants did not lose any stamina after traveling from village to village for five days. On the sixth day, they gathered in Basse, URR’s largest city, with as much energy as they had at the start of the caravan for the march from the Tostan office to the Governor’s residence.

Click here to read about the youth caravan’s culminating event, the march to the Governor’s residence, in Part II of “Gambian youth encourage communities and leaders to “practice what you know.”’