On November 19, Senegalese hip-hop artist, human rights activist and Tostan partner Sister Fa became the first woman to be awarded the Freedom to Create Prize in Cape Town, South Africa. This award aims to honor “the courage and creativity of artists, and the positive influence of their work to promote social justice and inspire the human spirit.”
Seeing her talent for music as a tool to promote dialogue, Sister Fa raps about challenging topics relevant to the experience of people in her native Senegal. Specifically, she uses her music to raise awareness and encourage abandonment of harmful traditional practices including female genital cutting (FGC). Sister Fa’s passion and dedicated work to inspire change in West Africa is captured in the documentary Sarabah, which will premiere on Link TV in January 2012.
The announcement of the 2011 prizewinner was the climactic event of a weeklong Freedom to Create Festival, during which finalists shared their talents in both live performances and art exhibitions. The festival also held a Female Empowerment Forum on November 16, of which Tostan Founder and Executive Director Molly Melching was a panel participant. In line with the vision of the event, the forum served as a space for individuals to discuss solutions to “issues that continue to create barriers for the flourishing of women.”
To learn more about Sister Fa’s work in collaboration with Tostan, click here.
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