Celebrating 50 Years Together

Building for the next 50 years with a new generation of leaders

In Partnership for Community Well-being

Tostan’s Strategy 2023-2030

Empowering Communities

to lead their own development

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

Child Marriage

communities have publicly declared that their daughters will not marry before the age of 18

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:

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HUMAN RIGHTS BASED

Knowledge of human rights and responsibilities forms the foundation for learning

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RESPECTFUL & INCLUSIVE

Information is shared in a non-judgmental and participatory way, using local languages

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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

Could Indigenous Wisdom Hold the Key to the Climate Crisis?

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...

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