Representatives from Tostan’s DC Office Attend a Conference on Empowering Adolescent Girls

Story by Kate Acosta, Communications Intern in Washington, DC

On June 3, 2010, Tostan’s Washington, DC, office attended the Interagency Youth Working Group’s conference, “Protecting and Empowering Adolescent Girls: Evidence for the Global Health Initiative.”  The event brought together many NGOs and non-profits to discuss effective program approaches, research results, and to further dialogue concerning women- and girl-centered approaches as a part of global health initiatives.  This day-long event was an informative and thought-provoking conference, and Tostan interns appreciated the opportunity to connect with other organizations that share the same passion for creating sustainable changes for girls and women worldwide.

In addition, this conference provided the opportunity to reflect and critically analyze Tostan’s approach towards development. It is essential to learn from and build off of the strategies and findings of other programs in order to strengthen Tostan’s abilities to meet communities’ needs in innovative ways.  We look forward to continuing this discussion next year and hope that the conference will raise issues regarding other important stages in the lives of girls and women in developing countries.

A Solar Power Success Story: Women Bring Light to Villages in Djibouti

Story by Sydney Skov, Tostan Volunteer in Dakar, Senegal

A great change has taken place in the Djiboutian communities of Khor Angar and Assamo thanks to the bravery, determination, and dedication of five outstanding women.

In March 2009, these mothers and grandmothers travelled thousands of miles from Djibouti, East Africa, to spend six months training to become solar power engineers at the Barefoot College in India. Entrepreneur Bunker Roy has been running the college - a non-profit organization pioneering solar electrification in rural villages – for women in India since 1989 and, more recently, in East and West Africa. Since their return in September 2009, the Djiboutian women have applied their training to install and maintain solar panels in their villages, which originally lacked basic infrastructure, bringing electricity to 70 households as well as to local shops and mosques.

The Tostan Solar Power! Project, launched in 2009 in collaboration with the Barefoot College empowers communities to provide sustainable and low-cost electricity for themselves. Tostan, along with Barefoot College, has supported the training of women from three African countries: Senegal, Djibouti, and most recently, Guinea Bissau. Through training at the Barefoot College, the women are taught to install, maintain, and repair solar panels as well as how to train others to do so, strengthening and spreading the impact of the program. Management committees are created in each participating community to organize the collection of funds from each household in exchange for solar power; through these small contributions ownership of the individual solar panels is established allowing the community to take development into their own hands. 

Check out more photos from the Solar Power! project in Djibouti on our Flickr page. 

Photos: A light bulb in the village of Khor Angar lit by solar power. Below: An engineer takes stalk of her equipment including light bulb and battery powered by solar energy.
 

Making Every Cent Count: Tostan and Freedom from Hunger Find Empowerment in Small Change

Story by Leah Cassidy, Tostan Volunteer in Thiès, Senegal

Recently, Tostan Senegal welcomed representatives from partner non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in the city of Thiès, Senegal for a training session with Freedom from Hunger, an international NGO operating in 17 countries across the globe. Tostan has been working with Freedom from Hunger on their Saving for Change Program – a program created with Oxfam America and the Stromme Foundation of Norway – which allows women to make small deposits and build sums of money. By saving the small amount of 100 francs (around 20 US cents) each week, women are able to distribute small loans of capital to each other and invest in small business ventures.

The Saving for Change program is currently being implemented in 55 communities in 7 regions of Senegal. During the training session, Freedom from Hunger briefed Tostan staff and facilitators on how to instruct communities to incorporate the innovative loan strategy into the activities of Community Management Committees (CMC): groups formed in each Tostan village to support sustainable development through management and micro-loans. 

Photo by Leah Cassidy: The group enjoys a laugh during a simulation with trainer Aly.

Tostan in an LA Times Op-Ed about FGC

Tostan in an LA Times Op-Ed about FGC

Tostan is highlighted in a Los Angeles Times op-ed about female genital cutting (FGC) and the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) reversal of its April 26, 2010 policy that suggested American doctors be allowed to perform a “nick” as a symbolic procedure.  The article references the wide-spread movement in West and East Africa in which communities are abandoning FGC in order to protect the human rights of women and girls. To date, over 4,000 communities have publicly abandoned FGC after either completing Tostan Community Empowerment Program or interacting with other communities who have worked directly with Tostan. Also highlighted is Tostan’s belief that respect for human rights and responsibilities leads to many positive outcomes in addition to FGC abandonment: girls’ education and women’s involvement in small businesses and the economy.   To read the full article click here.