Tostan

Tostan is an international nonprofit headquartered in Dakar, Senegal. Tostan uses a three-year empowerment programme that puts rural communities in charge of their own futures. Communities set their own vision while learning about democracy, human rights, hygiene and health, and as part of the problem-solving sessions, decide which practices help or hinder their development. Underpinned by human rights education, communities also address a number of other prevalent issues during the program. These include abandoning harmful traditional practices, such as child/forced marriage and female genital cutting (FGC), the empowerment of women and girls, and the importance of early childhood development. Totsan currently works in five countries Africa (and formerly in Djibouti, Somali Land, and Mauritania).