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:
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
ECOWAS and German cooperation in partnership with Tostan to promote social cohesion in fragile regions of Benin
Dakar, December 18, 2024- Tostan and GIZ announce the launch in Benin of the project "Eco-systemic engagement for citizen-led peace and social cohesion". Funded by the Fonds Régional de Stabilisation et de Développement (FRSD), an initiative of ECOWAS and the German...
Supporting Communities Amid the US Funding Freeze
Tostan stands in solidarity with communities and partner organizations affected by the US Government funding freeze. While Tostan’s programs remain unaffected, this freeze poses challenges to many critical initiatives in education, health, and economic development....
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...
