Tostan, an NGO established in 1991 and headquartered in Dakar, Senegal, works to empower rural and remote African communities to bring about positive social transformation and sustainable development through a holistic empowering education program. Our human rights-based program has reached more than five million people across eight African countries.
Women’s Empowerment
women have been selected for 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
The Tostan Model
Our three-year, nonformal education program puts rural communities in charge of their own futures. We support our partner communities to define and fulfill their own vision for well-being, 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 areas, with sustainability at its core
Sharing our Model
Tostan seeks to respond to ever-increasing demand for its model from a range of local and international partners by providing training and support. Through programs organized at the Tostan Training Center (TTC) in Thiès, Senegal, the organization offers training and support to traditional and religious leaders, local activists, government representatives, and NGO leaders.

News and Stories
In Senegal, Village by Village, the Long Struggle Against Female Genital Cutting
Published by Le Monde Afrique, January 31, 2025 Author: Célia Cuordifede In 2024, dozens of villages officially abandoned female genital cutting (FGC), a practice banned since 1999. This achievement is the result of relentless awareness campaigns led by social...
Tostan Announces Sobel Aziz Ngom as New CEO
Thiès, Senegal- December 15, 2024 - Tostan, a leading non-profit organization catalyzing community-led development in Africa, is pleased to announce the appointment of Sobel Aziz Ngom as its new Chief Executive Officer. Sobel Aziz Ngom will succeed Elena Bonometti,...
Could Indigenous Wisdom Hold the Key to the Climate Crisis?
As COP29 concludes in Baku with developed nations pledging at least $300 billion annually for developing countries by 2035, a crucial question arises: who will truly benefit from these funds? Indigenous communities—the true guardians of our ecosystems—are still...