Since we began, our human rights-based education program has reached more than five million people across eight African countries.
Women’s Empowerment
women have been selected into leadership positions in their communities, with many running for public office
Health
people live in communities that publicly declared their intention to end female genital cutting
Child Marriage
communities have publicly declared that their daughters will not marry before the age of 18
The Tostan Model
Our three-year, non-formal education program puts rural communities in charge of their own futures. We support our partner communities to define and fulfil their own vision for wellbeing, allowing them to create positive and lasting social transformation. Our approach is:
HUMAN RIGHTS BASED
Knowledge of human rights and responsibilities forms the foundation for learning
RESPECTFUL & INCLUSIVE
Information is shared in a non-judgmental and participatory way, using local languages
HOLISTIC & SUSTAINABLE
The program has impact across multiple issues, with sustainability at its core
Ndéye Fatou’s Story: Walk On My Own
In Walk On My Own, 13-year-old Ndeye Fatou Fall tells the story of her community in Senegal and the social transformation they have sparked to end harmful practices and ensure education, self-determination and wellbeing for girls and women.
News and Stories
Tostan awarded 4-star rating by Charity Navigator in 2019
Tostan has attained a 4-star rating from Charity Navigator for demonstrating strong financial health and commitment to accountability and transparency. This is the highest possible rating from the leading nonprofit evaluator in America. It indicates that...
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Tostan joins Melinda Gates’ Moment of Lift: Scaling Wellbeing for Women and Girls in Three Countries
For media enquiries, please contact SuzanneBowles@Tostan.org In her much awaited first ever book “The Moment of Lift,” Melinda Gates identifies Tostan Founder, Molly Melching, as a quiet hero and one of her teachers. She credits her with imparting the...
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Walk On My Own: A film about how Tostan sparks profound, positive changes for women and girls premieres during the UN Commission on the Status of Women
On screen, a 13-year-old girl is singing and dancing, her eyes bright with laughter. Microphone clipped to the back of her dress, she picks up her video camera and moves through her village to the next location for the film she is making. In the audience, now...
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Timeline Photos“Not only have the girls from Keur Simbara not gone through what I went through as a child, but they won’t even know what cutting is.” Activist, nurse and community outreach project manager Hoda Ali visted our partner Tostan in #Senegal in March and witnessed how communities there have ended female genital cutting.
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#HerStory #TostanIgnite #EndFGC #EndFGM #Activism
If you haven't already, dive into Melinda Gates' book, "The Moment of Lift," and discover how empowering #women can change the world, through the stories of the inspirational women she has encountered along the way, one of which is our founder, Molly Melching.
This incredible book will fill your heart with hope and the determination to empower yourself and others, leaving you convinced that equality can’t wait.
Find out more here: www.momentoflift.com
#DignityForAllI'm in London today to share the incredible stories of the women who inspired me to write The Moment of Lift! momentoflift.com
In this great interview, Nafissatou J. Diop, Coordinator of the UNFPA-UNICEF joint programme which aims to end female genital cutting, shares what she believes it will take to achieve the abandonment of this practice by 2030.
Special thanks for highlighting our work as a success story!
The Ms. Q&A: How Nafissatou J. Diop Plans to End FGM
'You need to have a regular and intense exposure of the people to the same information and messaging. Let them reflect, let them speak, let them think about it. It takes weeks and months to change the...At Tostan, we have witnessed first-hand the impact of human rights-based, non-formal education on the wellbeing of communities across West Africa, but should using this model also be considered in the Global North?
In this article, long-time supporter, Diane Gillespie, shares lessons from Tostan and her reflections on the potential impact of our approach in a nation like the United States.
#DignityForAll
Lessons from Tostan: A Call To Consider Human Rights Based Non Formal Education in the Global North
Since we began the Imago Dei Fund in 2009, we have been drawn to solutions which support communities to be and create their own change. Tostan is more of a movement than an organization and offers a m...This week, #Tostan is excited to host influential religious and traditional leaders, as well as NGO activists from Ghana at our 10-day training course, sponsored by #TheCarterCenter.
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#Communityleddevelopment
#DignityForAll
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