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Awards and Recognition
2007: Tostan receives the
Conrad N. Hilton Humanitarian Prize. On August 13th, 2007, the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation recognized Tostan for its “extraordinary contributions toward alleviating human suffering.” This prestigious award carries a prize of $1.5 million dollars. Tostan has announced it will use these funds to support community development efforts, extend its program to new communities in Africa, and strengthen the Tostan organization itself.
2007: UNESCO awards its
King Sejong Literacy Prize to Tostan for its innovative educational approach integrating literacy and health education. Tostan has announced that it will use the $20,000 in prize funds to support projects in health, literacy, and economic development for dynamic communities across Senegal. Click here to read more about the 2007 prizewinners.
2006: In its
Community Health Bulletin, no. 11, the
Population Reference Bureau compares five community-based programs deemed effective for improving health care. Tostan is given the highest overall score for community participation.
2005: Sweden's
Anna Lindh Award (right) is given to Tostan for itswork in human rights. This award was established to honor the memory of the former Swedish foreign minister, Anna Lindh, who used her position in the European Union to speak out for human rights and social welfare. Tostan uses the $30,000 in prize money to support 116 communities leading the FGC abandonment movement in northern Senegal.
2005:
UNICEF features Tostan’s program as a leading FGC intervention, meeting all six of its recommended key elements for FGC abandonment, in the 2005 UNICEF Innocenti Digest entitled
Ending a Harmful Traditional Practice: Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting. Please see our FGC resources page for this and other articles on Tostan and FGC.
2004:
The Population Council releases a comprehensive evaluation of the Tostan program that recommends its extension across Africa. Please visit our Evaluations page for more information on this and other evaluations of the Tostan program.
2003:
The World Health Organization, at its Second Regional Reproductive Task Force meeting, chooses Tostan’s Community Empowerment Program as a best practice model, calling for further replication of the model in other African nations.
2002: The
Sargent Shriver Award for Distinguished Humanitarian Service is awarded to
Molly Melching. Named for the first Peace Corps director, this award honors a Peace Corps volunteer who continues to make asustained and distinguished contribution to humanitarian causes either at home or abroad.
1999:
The University of Illinois Alumni Humanitarian Award is awarded to Molly Melching.
1995:
UNESCO recognizes Tostan as one of the most innovative education programs in the world and publishes a brochure on Tostan’s evolution and results.
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