Free medical consultations for communities in Thiès, Senegal

Story by Courtney Petersen, Photos by Jo-Anne McArthur

“My head is aching, and the rest of my body has been in pain for a couple of years,” Mame Ndingue told the visiting medical team in Senegal. Because of her pain she is unable to tend to her normal responsibilities, and, like many others in her rural community, she cannot afford medical treatment. 

From March 19 - 29, Tostan is collaborating with the Mary A. Tidlund Charitable Foundation to increase access to healthcare through free medical consultations in rural communities in the region of Thiès, Senegal. The medical team includes two doctors, five nurses, and three volunteers from Canada along with a team of Tostan staff and volunteers acting as translators. 

The Senegal medical team and translators 
holding Tostan health and human rights posters.

The medical team is working together with the Head Doctor of the region and local nurses at the health posts in Saam Njaay and Tassette to host free health consultations to community members like Mame Ndingue. These communities built their understanding of health as a human right through participation in our Community Empowerment Program (CEP) or through community-organized social mobilization activities. Through the CEP and activities community members learn the importance of consulting a doctor when they are ill.

Each day the nurses register patients, record their medical concerns and history, and make a basic health assessment. The doctors then sit with each patient to consult them on their main health concern and give a medical exam. This continues all day until every patient has the opportunity to be consulted.  

One of the doctors at the consultations, Dr. Gulshan Lodhy, shared that the most common illnesses being treated are ear, eye, and respiratory tract infections, as well as chronic illnesses such as hypertension, diabetes, and muscle and bone pain.

For many patients who attended the free consultations, seeking regular medical attention is not an option because of the high cost of medication and treatment, especially for chronic illnesses. The free consultations provide much needed access to affordable healthcare in the region.

Mame Ndingue shared how important this health consultation was to her: “[The consultation] was very good because I am not paying for anything. Usually, I don’t have enough money to go to the doctor so I am very happy to have had this opportunity.”

So far 380 patients have received medical care through the free consultations.

Tostan FAQ: What is behind the name ‘Tostan’?

Story by Courtney Petersen, Communications Officer in Washington, DC

Tostan is more than just the name of our organization. 

The word ‘tostan’ embodies what we strive to do: to share  knowledge, skills and resources that empower communities to set their own goals and create change on their own terms towards a vision of ‘human dignity for all.’

So, what does ‘tostan’ mean?  

Today, our 22nd anniversary, we share what is behind the name! In Wolof, the most widely spoken language in Senegal, Tostan means ‘breakthrough’ (as in the hatching of an egg), as well as ‘spreading and sharing.’

This is evidenced in ‘the breakthrough’ experienced by communities when they decide to abandon child marriage after learning about human rights and health, and the spreading and sharing that occurs when they reach out to neighboring communities at inter-village meetings to spread their knew knowledge.’ 

The word ‘tostan’ was suggested to Molly Melching, Tostan’s Founder and Executive Director, by a friend and renowned African scholar, Cheikh Anta Diop. He believed that to foster democracy, development must be educational for all involved, always rooted in and growing out of existing cultural practices and local knowledge. 

Influenced by his philosophy, Tostan, the word and the organization, works within the local context of our participants. Our program begins in African communities with individuals coming together to form a collective vision for their future in which democracy, health, economy, and education thrive. It is through their dedication to learning and sharing knowledge, and putting that into knowledge into practice in order to  achieve their shared vision.

Our human rights-based education program, the Community Empowerment Program (CEP) is offered in 22 (like us today!) languages across eight African countries. Classes are taught in a participatory and respectful manner and include dialogue and consensus building, highly valued skills in African societies. Learners create songs, dances, plays, and poetry inspired from traditional culture to reinforce new knowledge. 

We believe that when participants start with what they already know, they can expand and ‘break through’ to new understandings and practices just as our name says.

Read how Tostan's name inspired one of our former interns, Farba M'Bow, and learn more about Tostan's founding history on our website.

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.

Spotlight on Girls: The Marietou Law

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 Marietou from Thiès, Senegal. 

Story by Penda Mbaye, Tostan Program Officer in Dakar, Senegal

In 2002, I was a facilitator of Tostan’s human rights-based education program, the Community Empowerment Program (CEP), in the small district of Hersent in Thiès, Senegal. There, I saw a 15-year-old CEP participant named Marietou positively change the perception of domestic violence in her entire community. 

At the age of four, Marietou’s father passed away, and she was forced to live with her stepfather who physically abused her mother every night. This abuse deeply affected her, but she felt she was not able to do anything about it but cry; she couldn’t intervene.

Years later, Marietou became a participant in Tostan’s Community Empowerment Program (CEP). After learning in class discussions about the importance of respecting and protecting the human rights of all people, she decided she had to do something to help her mother.  She could not take seeing her suffer any longer. She decided to talk to the district chief about it, but was disappointed by his reaction when he told her that children should not get involved with their parents’ business.

She thought then she must get more people’s attention in order to stop domestic violence in her community; she knew right away that she had to do something extraordinary that no one had ever done or seen before.
Empowered by her knowledge of human rights, Marietou headed to the community mosque all by herself so that she could bring up the issue of domestic violence to the imam and other important people in her community.

After the midday prayer, just about when people were ready to leave the mosque, Marietou politely said, “Can I please have your attention for just a second?”

All eyes turned to her; people were surprised that she, a young girl, had come to the mosque to talk to them. Everyone waited curiously to know what she had to say.

She asked the imam, “Did you know some of the people in this very mosque abuse their wives every single day? I’m curious to know: does Islam allow you to abuse your wife like some people I know (directly referring to her stepfather)? Did you know that all people have the right to be protected from domestic violence? Please, dear imam, do something to stop domestic violence in this neighborhood. If you don’t do anything and my stepfather keeps beating my mother, I will have to call the police on him and all the other men who do the same thing because I know who you are.”

At first everyone in the mosque started to laugh, but then all eyes shifted to her stepfather. 

The imam gave everyone permission to leave the mosque except for Marietou and her stepfather. He sternly told him that Islam does not condone domestic violence. After sometime Marietou’s stepfather started to cry and vowed to never put his hands on Marietou’s mother again.

During the next two Friday prayers, the imam decided to center his teachings on domestic violence and how that it is not supported by Islam. Community members also became involved by organizing a forum on domestic violence. At that point, all important members of the district decided to join the cause to abandon domestic violence. A collective decision was put in place to denounce anyone in the neighborhood who did not comply with the rest of the community in abandoning domestic violence. 

To enforce this collective decision, a law was implemented; they called it the Marietou Law. Marietou was also elected the coordinator of a new community watch committee to protect women and adolescent girls against domestic violence. She shared how glad she was that the imam and entire community became involved in helping to stop domestic violence. 

Strengthened by the knowledge she gained through participation in the CEP and her own personal courage, Marietou emerged as a true champion of human rights. Now she does not need to worry about her mother or other women being abused in her community.

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

Spotlight on Girls: Hamda and the Young Human Rights Defenders of Somaliland

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 Hamda and the girls from the Maroodi Jeex region of Somaliland.

Story by Birima Fall, National Coordinator of Tostan Somalia

Hamda reading the public declaration for the
abandonment of FGC and child/forced marriage

On July 7, 2012, a young girl named Hamda announced the decision made by 28 communities in the Maroodi Jeex region of Somaliland, to abandon all forms of female genital cutting (FGC) and child/forced marriage. Hamda's community helped reach the decision to declare abandonment through participation in Tostan's human rights-based education program, the Community Empowerment Program (CEP). 

Throughout the process that led to that memorable day, the attention of the Tostan team in Somalia was caught by the dynamism and spirit of participation by the girls participating in the CEP.

Even though Hamda is young, she had the courage to stand up for her human rights and realized the importance of her education. Along with other girls her age, Hamda participates in the CEP class sessions centered on human rights. The class sessions help girls to understand the responsibility their parents have to protect their rights, for example the right to be free from all forms of violence. At the same time, they learn they have the duty to participate in the development of their families and community. 

Through the Tostan class sessions, Hamda and other girls her age have learned how to encourage positive social change in their families and communities, and play a big role in community activities such as regular clean-ups and awareness-raising events about FGC, child/forced marriage, violence against women, health, and protecting the environment.

The girls also spread awareness about what they learn through a drama group that performs local songs and poems to advocate for positive social change. While girls take on the lead roles in the drama group, boys also participate to raise awareness about human rights.  

Hamda, along with the 28 declaring communities, pledged to engage hundreds of villages in the ongoing movement for positive social transformation in Somaliland. Together they are fulfilling their responsibilities as human rights defenders.
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Show your support for girls by sharing Hamda’s story with your friends and family! Looking for more? Read other Spotlight on Girls posts here.

MDG3 in Action: The Community Empowerment Program

In support of the GlobalCitizen Festival, we will post a story each week during the month of September featuring Tostan's commitment to MillenniumDevelopment Goal 3 (MDG3), 'Promoting Gender Equality and Empowering Women' in the series MDG3 in Action.

After posting stories about successes achieved by communities and individuals in the areas of human rights, health, and economic development, we would like to devote this final ‘MDG3 in Action’ to the roots of gender equality and women’s empowerment: education.

Gender Equality and Women's Empowerment through Grassroots Education 

Story by Matthew Boslego and Alisa Hamilton, Communications Assistants, Tostan

At the heart of Tostan’s work lies the Community Empowerment Program (CEP), a nonformal three-year education program fundamentally based on the values of respect, inclusion, and participation. Over three years of classes and social mobilization events, communities spread knowledge, skills, and attitudes throughout their social networks fostering a cooperative environment where everyone has the opportunity to contribute to their own development.

Throughout the program, gender equality is continuously promoted as essential to a community’s collective well-being, and each module looks at gender from a different perspective to enhance participants' understanding of the issue.

A CEP participant presents the right to health at the launch of the Peace and Security Project in Kolda, Senegal.

The CEP begins with human rights, including the right to express ones opinions, the right to health, the right to education, and the right to work. In many rural African communities, women were traditionally discouraged from expressing themselves in public and participating in community decision-making processes. With new knowledge of human rights, men and women alike begin to question traditional practices and become more open to women’s participation in decision-making.

After learning about everyone’s universal human rights, CEP participants learn about health and hygiene, focusing on the importance of prevention and reproductive health. Tostan uses non-judgmental language to approach taboo topics, such as female genital cutting (FGC) and child/forced marriage. CEP participants begin to question these traditional practices because they pose threats to certain human rights. The open dialogue created often leads gradually to the collective abandonment of harmful practices in a Public Declaration.

Adolescent girls in the Fouta region of northern Senegal meet to discuss the negative consequences of FGC.

FGC and child/forced marriage pose severe health consequences and keep girls from staying in school and reaching their full potential. With the abandonment of such practices, women and girls are empowered to seek education and employment, allowing them to contribute to the social and economic development of their communities.

Adji Diaw runs her own restaurant in Keur Sanou, Senegal.

With an understanding of human rights, health, and hygiene, communities are able to identify problems and appreciate the need to include everyone in their development projects. The final module of the CEP gives participants the concrete skills necessary to lead their own initiatives, beginning with literacy in their own language and basic math skills. They then learn project management skills, such as how to create a budget, calculate expenses, and make long-term action plans.  

The emergence of women as leaders, the abandonment of harmful practices that hinder girls’ development, and the economic empowerment of women would not be possible without the foundation of education provided by the CEP.

At Tostan, we believe that change comes from within. Gender equality and the empowerment of women cannot be achieved without addressing issues at their source. With the education of individuals at the grassroots, whole communities collectively make decisions in favor of positive social change.

To learn more about Tostan’s work with Millennium Development Goals, visit our website.

MDG3 in Action: Health and Human Rights

In support of the Global Festival, we will post a story each week during the month of September featuring Tostan's commitment to Millennium Development Goal 3 (MDG3), 'Promoting Gender Equality and Empowering Women' in the series MDG3 in Action.

Join us in the movement to end extreme poverty by becoming a Global Citizen. Watch, view, and share stories on the Global Citizen website to earn tickets to the Global Festival!

Leading Health and Human Rights Initiatives in Sahre Bookar

Story by Anna Vanderkooy, Tostan Projects Assistant, Senegal

Ramatou and her daughter Miriama

Mamadou Ramatou Diallo (Ramatou) lives in Sahre Bookar, Senegal. She is the Coordinator of the Health Commission of Sahre Bookar’s Community Management Committee (CMC). Sahre Bookar formed a CMC when it began Tostan’s Community Empowerment Program in 2010. Composed of up to six commissions (health, environment, child protection, education, income-generating activities, and social mobilisation), the CMC is a 17-member democratically-selected group that organizes awareness-raising events and leads development projects designed by the community. A minimum of nine of the members are women.

In 2011, inspired by the knowledge of health risks and human rights violations gained in Tostan's Community Empowerment Program (CEP), her community of Sahre Bookar held a village-wide meeting to discuss the abandonment of FGC and child/forced marriage. Consensus was reached, as community members confirmed that these two practices harmed the well-being of girls and women in the community. 

Now, as the head of her community's Health Commission, Ramatou is confident that all girls in the community, including her 13-year old daughter Miriama, will benefit greatly from this new respect of their rights. Girls were formerly married as young as 13 to men of their parents' choosing, but today they are assured the right to remain in school and to choose their own husbands after the age of 18. 

Through the Health Commission, Ramatou has organized a number of awareness-raising campaigns in the community related to vaccinations, malaria, and risk reduction during pregnancy. She has seen changes since the arrival of the program, citing that all villagers now sleep under mosquito nets, parents now respect the vaccination calendars set out by the local health post, and expectant mothers attend pre- and post-natal consultations, giving birth at local health centers instead of at home. 

Ramatou also started a health fund, with everyone in the village contributing 100 CFA ($0.25) three times a year. This fund supports health initiatives in the community, giving loans to villagers to assist them in the payment of hospital fees and transportation to appropriate facilities. Next year she hopes to use money from this fund, along with support from the local health post, to start a health closet that will ensure access to basic medication in Sahre Bookar.

With her knowledge and skills gained from the Tostan program, Ramatou has been empowered to play a leadership role in her region of Senegal, striving for better health and well-being for Sahre Bookar and surrounding communities. 

"African Heat": Communities Bridge Boundaries at Peace and Security Project Launch

Story and photographs by Alisa Hamilton, Tostan Communications Assistant in Dakar, Senegal



“I learned a lot of things. I saw very dynamic communities. I saw communities who have not forgotten where they come from because they resolve problems using solutions from their own culture."

                          -Odile Tending, Program Manager at Gorée Institute  



Women from Tankanto Maoundé dance with
the image Tostan uses to represent
the right to peace and security.

On April 22, 2012, Tostan launched its Peace and Security Project in the village of Tankato Maoundé in the department of Kolda, Senegal. Funded by the Swedish International Development Agency (Sida), this project aims to address issues of peace and security in West Africa by connecting grassroots communities and their social networks with regional and international institutions. With this increased collaboration, regions, and nations as a whole, can work together to identify barriers to the peace and security of their area and create solutions that will overcome those barriers. Tankato Maoundé community members and Tostan delegations from The Gambia and Senegal participated in the event alongside project partners* and donors. The celebration included speeches, songs, and plays promoting human rights and its important role in achieving peace and security.

Abdoulaye Kandé, Tostan Regional Coordinator of Kolda, described Tankato Maoundé as a very “dynamic” community. He remarked, “We’ve noticed this since the implementation of the [Community Empowerment Program].” Abdoulaye was proud to host the event in his district: “The Peace and Security Project is very important in Senegal.” “Beside us [in southern Senegal], there is The Gambia, Guinea-Bissau, Guinea, and Mauritania. I think that [the project] must begin in Kolda in order for there to be peace in this region,” he concluded with a smile.

Awa Ballé Cissé of Sedhiou, Senegal presents
the right to health: “Health has no borders."

During the Kolda delegation’s presentation on human rights, Community Management Committee (CMC) member Awa Ballé Cissé from Sedhiou emphasized that “health has no borders.” Sedhiou’s CMC leads awareness-raising campaigns on family planning and vaccination in their village and throughout the region. “We went all the way to The Gambia to raise awareness,” she proudly shared while holding up the image Tostan uses to represent the right to health. She continued, “We must work hand in hand to achieve our objectives.”

The Peace and Security Project focuses on building ways to overcome barriers that limit an individual’s ability to develop, for example barriers to learning. “Education has no age,” stated the CMC Coordinator Abdoulaye Kebé from the village of Karsia. Karsia’s CMC has continued literacy and numeracy initiatives in their community even after the completion of the CEP and actively encourages the participation of all ages. They also work hard to improve the conditions of schools. By collaborating with local marabouts or religious leaders to improve the conditions of daaras (koranic schools), Karsia’s CMC demonstrates that education has no age or religion.

Tostan Executive Director, Molly Melching (left),
presents the human rights booklet to the
community, project partners, and
local government officials.



During the presentation on human rights, the Kolda delegation emphasized the importance of health and education in peace and security. “Today we must first think about health and education,” proclaimed Sowa Baldé of Kolda. Her community has created committees responsible for resolving conflicts peacefully. “We cannot have peace and security without health and education,” she concluded. Her final comment illustrates the importance of a holistic, human rights approach in achieving peace and security. Individuals must understand their fundamental rights, such as the rights to health and education, before communities, regions, and finally countries can respect them. Tostan’s Peace and Security Project is unique because, unlike many policy and government focused programs, its approach begins at the community level with discussions on these very topics. 

Illustrating the importance of bridging gaps between donor agencies and field work—a main goal of the Peace and Security Project—representatives from Sida also partook in the day’s festivities. Jonas Bergström, Sida Program Manager, summed up the project’s collective efforts to bridge countries, ages, religions, and ethnic groups in his closing words to the community:

“We come from a very cold place and what we have learned from Africa is the African heat. This heat is turned into energy and is capable of changing the world. I am confident that the people here along with organizations like Tostan can change today into a better tomorrow.”

To view a full photo album from the Peace and Security Project launch, click here.

To watch video footage and interviews from the event, click here.

To read this article in French of Tostan France's website, click here.

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*Project partners present included The Gorée Institue, Alliance of Migration, Leadership and Development (AMLD), African Center for the Constructive Resolution of Disputes (ACCORD), Femme Africa Solidarité (FAS), West African Network for Peacebuilding (WANEP), Network of Peace and Security for Women in the ECOWAS Region (NOPSWECO)

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.

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. 

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.

Tostan FAQ: FGC vs. FGM

A Facebook contact recently posed a question to Tostan asking about the use of the term female genital cutting (FGC) versus female genital mutilation (FGM) when talking about this cultural practice. Gannon Gillespie, Tostan’s Director of External Relations, responded:

Dear Walter,

Thank you for your question, which is one we have received regularly for many years. Let me begin by saying that terminology around this issue is challenging. Three separate terms have been widely used to describe the practice: female circumcision, female genital mutilation, and female genital cutting. We avoid the term “circumcision,” as it incorrectly implies a parallel between FGC and male circumcision. Unfortunately, all other terms have limitations as well, and fall clearly short of accurately describing this practice—which has four major and infinite minor variations in practice around the world. No one term is truly “accurate”.

But we must use words, and so among these options, Tostan has for over 13 years chosen the term female genital cutting (FGC) based on what communities that are giving up the practice have told us: the term “cutting” allows them to accomplish more than the others because it is less judgmental and value-laden. As a result, the term is more effective for engaging groups in dialog around this practice, and eventually bringing about its end.

Let me be very, very clear. We do not use this term in an attempt to excuse or diminish the impact of the practice. I think anyone who has taken the time to learn about Tostan and watched the testimonies given by Tostan’s local partners, for example that of Marietou Diarra, knows that we are very far from hiding or excusing the real, significant consequences of this practice. Yet despite its serious health consequences, we have found that FGC itself is not done with the intent to “mutilate” a girl. Rather, parents who have their daughters cut want the best for them, and the practice is seen as a necessary step to enable her to be a fully accepted member of the community.

It seems counter-intuitive, but in our experience, if there is a dominant emotion involved in FGC, it is love—because not cutting your daughter risks her entire future. As explained by a former cutter turned Tostan advocate, Oureye Sall, in communities where FGC is practiced, community members will not eat food cooked by a woman who is not cut, will not accept water from her, will not even sit with her. She will have difficulty getting married. An uncut woman is viewed as unclean and therefore unable to participate fully in the community. With these social pressures, if a family chooses not to cut their daughter, they have risked severely damaging her social status. To imply that parents are actually “mutilating” their daughters through a decision made with love and concern for her well-being is unfair to them and risks alienating and offending them rather than convincing them to abandon the practice.

In addition, we have found that many communities do not fully understand the consequences of the practice—the effects of which are not always immediate or obvious, especially in cases of infections, tetanus, etc. Without an understanding of concepts such as germ theory, recognizing the true long-term health implications of FGC is difficult. When communities do get access to this information, presented in ways they trust, they come to understand the harm the practice causes and decide to stop—but if the person bringing these messages begins with judgmental terms, the chance of reaching this breakthrough disappears.

We should remember that all of us, no matter where we are from, tend to greet judgmental outsiders in similar ways. When our beliefs and actions are challenged or condemned by a stranger, we are likely to become defensive; rather than taking their concerns to heart, we view their accusation as an unwarranted and uninformed attack on our character. We certainly won’t feel inclined to change in order to satisfy this judgmental critic; we may even respond by holding on more tightly to the belief or action being questioned. Our experience has shown us that it is dialog and discussion that can lead to change, and dialog requires a relationship of trust and respect. But calling the practice “mutilation” prevents this relationship from developing and invites defensiveness rather than productive discourse.

And, if we take the example of Oureye Sall—who transformed her experience as a former cutter into a source of leadership against FGC—it becomes clear that we must avoid demonizing those who perform the practice. Oureye is not a “mutilator” and villain; she is a hero driven by her new knowledge. When she had cut girls, she did so because the experience and knowledge available to her told her it was right to do so. When she decided to stop and to become a champion of the movement to abandon FGC, it was because new experiences and new knowledge showed her that the practice was harmful and that change was necessary. Tostan’s experience has shown this to be the case for almost all cutters; they are not evil, they do not seek to “mutilate” girls or bring them harm, but rather they are acting based on what they believe is right.

Perhaps most importantly, we should be very cautious in labeling and stigmatizing the girls and women who have been cut. We do not believe it is our place to tell them that they are “mutilated.” As with other victims of violence, we believe they have the human right to self-identify in whatever manner they choose. I have personally met many women who have undergone FGC. Some prefer to call themselves mutilated, others simply “cut”, many others say less, or nothing, as they are not yet comfortable being public about this very private matter. And all of them (even those who themselves identify as “mutilated”) agree: women should be free to choose the term that best defines them, and that the term “mutilated” should not be forced upon them.

In short, our use of the term "FGC" is not apology, nor is it political correctness. It is simple practicality: this way of speaking opens doors to dialog that have led to thousands of communities standing up to abandon this practice, doors that more accusatory language would keep shut. We choose to use language that is working, that community leaders and evaluation data alike are telling us brings real, concrete change.

In keeping with the above approach, I can also tell you that we are not posting this in an effort to "fight" others who use different language. We respect the many differences of opinion on this truly complex subject and the language that accompanies it. We do encourage others to study our experiences, both in relation to FGC and the many, many other areas on which our program works. We hope to continue supporting community-led work in the field to ensure all girls--cut and uncut--have human dignity. These actions are our main focus, and we believe they speak much louder than words.

For those interested in learning more about FGC as a social norm, I recommend that you read “Female Genital Cutting: the Beginning of the End” an article by political scientist Gerry Mackie. The article explains why a program like Tostan’s can be effective in sparking a movement to abandon FGC. The section on pages 277-278 entitled “Propaganda and Prohibition” discusses the results of respect-based approaches versus shame-based approaches to effecting social change.

Sincerely,
Gannon Gillespie

African Youth Day Spotlights New Opportunities for Youth Prison Detainees

Story by Eliane Luthi Poirier, Communications Assistant in Dakar, Senegal, and Alisa Hamilton, Program Assistant.

After learning about Tostan’s work partnering with Senegalese penitentiaries, we were thrilled to witness the impact of this partnership first-hand during the observance of African Youth Day at Hann youth prison in Dakar. On June 16, we joined other Tostan team members, prison staff, and notable guests, including the US Ambassador to Senegal Marcia S. Bernicat, in celebrating the day with the 59 teenage detainees of the prison.


US Ambassador to Senegal Marcia S.
Bernicat cuts the ribbon inaugurating
the well at the Hann youth prison.

 Since 1999, Tostan has partnered with Senegalese state penitentiaries, including the Hann youth prison, in a unique initiative called the Prison Project. As part of this initiative, inmates participate in a condensed version of Tostan’s Community Empowerment Program (CEP), focusing primarily on family mediation, human rights education, and skills training. With this new knowledge and training inmates can more successfully reintegrate into society once they are released.

This year’s African Youth Day provided a perfect opportunity for the community to celebrate the progress of the teens at Hann youth prison as they make changes in their lives that will lead to an empowered future. This day-long event consisted of motivational speeches, the inauguration of a well for the prison, and enthusiastic dance performances and wrestling competitions.


Tostan Program Officer Penda Mbaye speaks about
the significance of African Youth Day at celebration
hosted at the Hann youth prison in Dakar.

Speaking to the crowd, Tostan Programme Officer Penda Mbaye recalled the sombre origins of the annual celebration: the 1976 march of children in Soweto, South Africa, that tragically ended in 23 deaths. Ms. Mbaye then detailed the progress of the project running in Hann, before closing with the essential point that “the most important resource of any community is its children.”

Other speakers also praised the Tostan program. The Director of the Hann prison, Awa Faye Ngom, lauded the commitment of Tostan to African youth while the US Ambassador expressed her pride in the work of the organization, reserving special praise for Tostan Programme Officer Penda Mbaye and Tostan Executive Director Molly Melching. Concluding her speech, Ambassador Bernicat turned to face the inmates and appealed to them: “Your country needs you: your energy, your ideas, your vigilance, and your participation in the economy and in society.” 

US Ambassador to Senegal Marcia S.
Bernicat and Tostan Supervisor Aïssatou
Kébé pull out the first bucket of water
from the new well at Hann youth prison.
The well will provide detainees with water
for washing and benefit the agricultural
training program initiated by Tostan.

 After the speeches, we made our way to the garden of the prison for the inauguration of a new well on the prison premises, the construction of which was funded primarily by a private donor. Ambassador Bernicat cut the ribbon with Tostan Supervisor Aïssatou Kébé at her side.

During lunch, which featured a traditional ceebu yapp dish of rice and meat, we spoke with Marie Nazon, a Haitian-American Fullbright Scholar working on the Prison Project. She stressed the value of the well as a source of clean water. Potable water was a major issue in the Hann facility prior to Tostan’s arrival. Before the well, she explained, the boys wouldn’t take part in sports, as they had nowhere to bathe after exercising.

Ms. Nazon told us that the well will also support the prison’s gardening project, in which inmates learn agricultural skills. She was excited by plans to expand the Prison Project at Hann to teach young prisoners to raise chickens and harvest eggs. Ms. Nazon stressed that learning such skills for income-generation is key to preventing recidivism.

Ibrahim Cissé, the Garden Supervisor, talks about the importance of the well at the prison.

The festivities continued into the afternoon with a traditional Senegalese wrestling competition. Five rounds of fighting took place with commentary by a charismatic prison employee. After each victory, the other boys would rush into the arena to cheer and dance for the winner and even the director of the prison joined in the dancing after the final match. Following the competition, the boys performed a skit, a rap, and a song to entertain the audience

Ms. Ngom brought the African Youth Day celebration to a close with her final, inspiring remarks directed at the teenage inmates: "This is just a phase in your lives. Have confidence and perseverance and you will leave here and go on to live prosperous lives."

After these strong words, everyone, including the boys, prison guards, and audience members, broke into dance as people exited the performance area.