In Sintcham-Ieroba, a small village in the Cossé sector of Guinea-Bissau’s Bafatá region, 18-year-old Mamadu Djau begins his day like many other students, on his way to class. But when the school day ends, Mamadu’s work for the community begins. As the Education Commissioner of the Community Management Committee (CMC), he helps track children’s school attendance, organizes clean-up days, and motivates his peers to stay in school. His sense of responsibility goes far beyond his age.
Tostan’s teachings shape my thinking and behavior. They are valuable tools for life,” he says. “We, the youth, must make the most of this opportunity and pass it on to future generations. One day, Tostan may no longer be here, and it will be up to us to guide our community.
Mamadu’s quiet determination reflects a shift unfolding across Guinea-Bissau, a generation of young people taking their place as the bridge between what communities have achieved and what they hope to sustain.
Youth at the Center of Change
Guinea-Bissau has one of the youngest populations in the world. The median age is just 19, and nearly 47% of people are under 19 years old, with more than half living in rural areas. For development to be lasting, youth must be part of every decision that shapes their communities.
Recognizing this, Tostan’s Community Empowerment Program (CEP), implemented through the Bright Professional Opportunities and Youth and Women’s Empowerment for Community-Led Sustainable Development (BPOE) project, ensures that young people are not only participants but leaders in community governance.
Across the 40 partner communities in the Bafatá region, youth have taken key roles in Community Management Committees (CMCs), which coordinate collective actions in health, education, environment, and income generation.
Learning to Lead Together
Each CMC includes 19 members divided into subcommittees on health, education, peace and security, income-generating activities, and more. This shared structure creates space for inclusion, where elders, women, and youth can all contribute.
Mamadu is one of those who stepped forward early. Through CEP sessions led in local languages, he learned about human rights, collective decision-making, and accountability. He quickly applied those lessons within the CMC, taking on leadership roles that connect education, community participation, and long-term sustainability.
Each CMC includes 19 members divided into subcommittees on health, education, peace and security, income-generating activities, and more. This shared structure creates space for inclusion, where elders, women, and youth can all contribute.
Mamadu is one of those who stepped forward early. Through CEP sessions led in local languages, he learned about human rights, collective decision-making, and accountability. He quickly applied those lessons within the CMC, taking on leadership roles that connect education, community participation, and long-term sustainability.
For me, leadership means action, not words. When we take part in cleaning the school or collecting data on students, we show that education matters to all of us, not just to teachers or parents.
A New Generation of Allies
For Aissatu Seidi, Coordinator of the CMC of Sintcham-Ieroba, youth participation has changed the rhythm of local decision-making.
With Tostan, we discovered our worth. Today we enjoy our rights and live with hope. Before, we couldn’t express our opinions or make decisions about our own lives; everything was decided by our husbands. Today, thanks to Tostan’s teachings and the support of young people like Mamadu, we are building a more just, participatory, and aware community. Mamadu Djau, for example, is always present during awareness sessions to strengthen our messages, especially in the field of education.
Her words show how intergenerational collaboration between women and youth is reshaping leadership in communities that once excluded both.
Sustaining Change Beyond the Program
According to data collected through the BPOE project, the 40 CMCs in the Bafatá region now count 760 members, including 235 youth, 162 girls and 73 boys. Though boys remain fewer, their engagement is critical. Together, these young people are sustaining the work started by earlier generations of community leaders.
By managing collective funds, organizing literacy sessions, and coordinating community projects, youth like Mamadu ensure that progress does not depend on external support alone. Instead, it becomes part of a living, local process carried forward by those who call the community home.
A Voice for the Future
In Sintcham-Ieroba, Mamadu is known not only for his energy but for his quiet humility, a reminder that leadership can be steady and shared.
We, the youth, must make the most of this opportunity and pass it on to future generations. One day, Tostan may no longer be here, and it will be up to us to guide our community.