Molly Melching
Encyclopedia
Molly Melching is the founder and executive director of Tostan
(meaning "breakthrough" in the Wolof
language), a Non-Governmental Organization
(NGO) whose mission it is to empower African communities for sustainable development and social transformation in the respect of human rights. Tostan and Melching have gained international notice for their work with partner communities to encourage the abandonment of female genital cutting
and child/forced marriage in Senegal
, Guinea
and Burkina Faso
. Under Tostan's Community Empowerment Program, a community may elect to participate in a three-year, nonformal, education and community organizing training. To date, 2,996 communities have decided, after participating in Tostan's Program, to abandon FGC through a public declaration, over half of the 5,000 estimated to have practiced in 1997. To date in Guinea, 298 communities have declared, and 20 have declared in Burkina Faso.
Melching's expertise is in developing educational materials for use at the village level in Africa, and she helped create the Tostan
Community Empowerment Program (CEP). Melching's work along with Senegalese communities has also contributed to several innovative community development and communication techniques including the model of organized diffusion of information and the use of the public declaration for the abandonment of FGC and child/forced marriage.
In 1999, she received the Humanitarian Alumni Award from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
and in 2002, the Sargent Shriver Distinguished Award for Humanitarian Service.
on an individual placement to continue developing and publishing books for Senegalese children tailored to their culture and environment. To accomplish this, Molly created the "Demb ak Tey" (Yesterday and Today) Center, which opened in the African Cultural Center, and served street children in the most populated area of Dakar
, the Medina. Using songs, stories, proverbs, theater and other oral African traditions, Molly and her Senegalese team promoted children's literature pertaining to West African culture. Seeing the popularity of traditional African stories and their potential as a vehicle for education, Molly began a weekly radio program in Wolof, a major national language of Senegal. By including messages on health and the environment, the radio program reached thousands of families with relevant information for improving their lives.
In 1982, Molly was awarded a grant from the Spencer Foundation to continue her activities, which encouraged her to remain in Senegal
. She moved the children's center to the village of Saam Njaay in the region of Thiès
. In collaboration with community members, she and her Senegalese team developed a basic, nonformal education program for rural populations based on their traditions and culture. This program, funded by USAID, was so successful that many other NGOs soon adopted it.
Molly began collaborating with UNICEF/Senegal in 1988 to improve and expand this nonformal education program to other languages and regions of Senegal. Recognizing women’s crucial role within their own communities as well as the whole of Senegalese society, Molly took note of these women’s distinctive need for literacy training and other kinds of basic education. With UNICEF’s support, the program was extended to thousands of women throughout the country and was also adapted for at-risk, out-of-school adolescents using a basic life skills approach.
. Tostan
's centerpiece is the program Molly and others developed in Samm Ndiaye, Senegal
: The Community Empowerment Program (CEP) is targeted at both adult and adolescent learners, and is always delivered in local languages. The nonformal education approach is based on human rights, and is divided into two modules: the Kobi (meaning "to till the soil"), covering democracy, human rights, problem-solving skills, health and hygiene; and the Aawde (meaning "to plant the seed"), covering local language literacy, small enterprise development, and mathematics.
The Tostan program has had a considerable impact on the lives of Senegalese women, empowering them to make important decisions affecting their own lives and that of their families. Tostan participants have begun health and hygiene improvement projects leading to the reduction of maternal and infant mortality rates. They have ended violence against women through peaceful protest; dramatically increased rates of vaccinations and pre- and post-natal consultation; and led campaigns to enroll girls in school and register thousands of children who had no official birth certificates. They have even begun implementing successful and sustainable income generating activities. Women now participate in decision-making processes and are emerging as confident and effective leaders.
Molly recognized that the Senegalese themselves, and not outsiders, must be the ones to carry forward this culminating social transformation. On July 31, 1997, the Senegalese began a major social movement. One group of Tostan participants from the village of Malicounda Bambara
decided to abandon the ancient practice of FGC
in their community. This tradition is a social convention in 28 countries of Africa, required in many ethnic groups for girls to marry and become respected members of the community. Since the 1997 declaration in Malicounda Bambara
, 2.996 other communities representing about 50% of the communities that practice FGC in Senegal, have also made public declarations to end this tradition along with ending child/forced marriage. Their decision was motivated by the understanding that these traditional practices are harmful to the health of girls and women, and therefore, violations of their human rights and not in accordance with their religious and cultural values. In 2001, Tostan and Mwangaza, a NGO in Burkino Faso, empowered 23 villages in that country to end FGC through public declaration on May 3, 2003. In Guinea, 298 villages, both Tostan-trained communities and nonparticipating villages, have participated in two public declarations: In Lalya, Middle Guinea
in December 2006 and Tougnifily, Lower Guinea
in June 2007.
Molly continuously listens to feedback from Tostan participants and adapts Tostan’s Community Empowerment Program, including its methodology and approach, to meet the changing needs of the villagers, always preserving the dignity of the populations she serves through respectful consultation. Through years of experimentation, Tostan has confirmed the importance of human rights education in the process of improving health and other socioeconomic factors in standards of living. In October 2003, World Health Organization chose Tostan’s basic education approach as a “Best Practice Model” for community development and ending FGC, calling for further replication and dissemination of the model to other African nations. In 2005, Tostan won the Anna Lindh Prize for Human Rights, and in 2007 Tostan won two awards: the UNESCO
King Sejong Prize for Literacy, and the Conrad N. Hilton Humanitarian Prize
, the largest humanitarian prize in the world.
Tostan
Tostan is a US-registered 501 international nongovernmental organization with operations in over 500 communities in Senegal, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, The Gambia, Mauritania, Somalia, and Djibouti...
(meaning "breakthrough" in the Wolof
Wolof language
Wolof is a language spoken in Senegal, The Gambia, and Mauritania, and is the native language of the Wolof people. Like the neighbouring languages Serer and Fula, it belongs to the Atlantic branch of the Niger–Congo language family...
language), a Non-Governmental Organization
Non-governmental organization
A non-governmental organization is a legally constituted organization created by natural or legal persons that operates independently from any government. The term originated from the United Nations , and is normally used to refer to organizations that do not form part of the government and are...
(NGO) whose mission it is to empower African communities for sustainable development and social transformation in the respect of human rights. Tostan and Melching have gained international notice for their work with partner communities to encourage the abandonment of female genital cutting
Female genital cutting
Female genital mutilation , also known as female genital cutting and female circumcision, is defined by the World Health Organization as "all procedures that involve partial or total removal of the external female genitalia, or other injury to the female genital organs for non-medical reasons."FGM...
and child/forced marriage in Senegal
Senegal
Senegal , officially the Republic of Senegal , is a country in western Africa. It owes its name to the Sénégal River that borders it to the east and north...
, Guinea
Guinea
Guinea , officially the Republic of Guinea , is a country in West Africa. Formerly known as French Guinea , it is today sometimes called Guinea-Conakry to distinguish it from its neighbour Guinea-Bissau. Guinea is divided into eight administrative regions and subdivided into thirty-three prefectures...
and Burkina Faso
Burkina Faso
Burkina Faso – also known by its short-form name Burkina – is a landlocked country in west Africa. It is surrounded by six countries: Mali to the north, Niger to the east, Benin to the southeast, Togo and Ghana to the south, and Côte d'Ivoire to the southwest.Its size is with an estimated...
. Under Tostan's Community Empowerment Program, a community may elect to participate in a three-year, nonformal, education and community organizing training. To date, 2,996 communities have decided, after participating in Tostan's Program, to abandon FGC through a public declaration, over half of the 5,000 estimated to have practiced in 1997. To date in Guinea, 298 communities have declared, and 20 have declared in Burkina Faso.
Melching's expertise is in developing educational materials for use at the village level in Africa, and she helped create the Tostan
Tostan
Tostan is a US-registered 501 international nongovernmental organization with operations in over 500 communities in Senegal, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, The Gambia, Mauritania, Somalia, and Djibouti...
Community Empowerment Program (CEP). Melching's work along with Senegalese communities has also contributed to several innovative community development and communication techniques including the model of organized diffusion of information and the use of the public declaration for the abandonment of FGC and child/forced marriage.
In 1999, she received the Humanitarian Alumni Award from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
The University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign is a large public research-intensive university in the state of Illinois, United States. It is the flagship campus of the University of Illinois system...
and in 2002, the Sargent Shriver Distinguished Award for Humanitarian Service.
Early Work in Senegal
While a student at the University of Dakar in 1974, Molly developed an interest in working with children. She wrote an illustrated children’s book, Anniko, which was published by the New African Editions (NEA). In November 1976, she joined the Peace CorpsPeace Corps
The Peace Corps is an American volunteer program run by the United States Government, as well as a government agency of the same name. The mission of the Peace Corps includes three goals: providing technical assistance, helping people outside the United States to understand US culture, and helping...
on an individual placement to continue developing and publishing books for Senegalese children tailored to their culture and environment. To accomplish this, Molly created the "Demb ak Tey" (Yesterday and Today) Center, which opened in the African Cultural Center, and served street children in the most populated area of Dakar
Dakar
Dakar is the capital city and largest city of Senegal. It is located on the Cap-Vert Peninsula on the Atlantic coast and is the westernmost city on the African mainland...
, the Medina. Using songs, stories, proverbs, theater and other oral African traditions, Molly and her Senegalese team promoted children's literature pertaining to West African culture. Seeing the popularity of traditional African stories and their potential as a vehicle for education, Molly began a weekly radio program in Wolof, a major national language of Senegal. By including messages on health and the environment, the radio program reached thousands of families with relevant information for improving their lives.
In 1982, Molly was awarded a grant from the Spencer Foundation to continue her activities, which encouraged her to remain in Senegal
Senegal
Senegal , officially the Republic of Senegal , is a country in western Africa. It owes its name to the Sénégal River that borders it to the east and north...
. She moved the children's center to the village of Saam Njaay in the region of Thiès
Thiès
Thiès is the third largest city in Senegal with a population officially estimated at 320,000 in 2005. It lies 60 km east of Dakar on the N2 road and at the junction of railway lines to Dakar, Bamako and St-Louis...
. In collaboration with community members, she and her Senegalese team developed a basic, nonformal education program for rural populations based on their traditions and culture. This program, funded by USAID, was so successful that many other NGOs soon adopted it.
Molly began collaborating with UNICEF/Senegal in 1988 to improve and expand this nonformal education program to other languages and regions of Senegal. Recognizing women’s crucial role within their own communities as well as the whole of Senegalese society, Molly took note of these women’s distinctive need for literacy training and other kinds of basic education. With UNICEF’s support, the program was extended to thousands of women throughout the country and was also adapted for at-risk, out-of-school adolescents using a basic life skills approach.
Years at Tostan
In 1991, Molly took the collective lessons and pedagogies developed in Saam Njaay and created a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, TostanTostan
Tostan is a US-registered 501 international nongovernmental organization with operations in over 500 communities in Senegal, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, The Gambia, Mauritania, Somalia, and Djibouti...
. Tostan
Tostan
Tostan is a US-registered 501 international nongovernmental organization with operations in over 500 communities in Senegal, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, The Gambia, Mauritania, Somalia, and Djibouti...
's centerpiece is the program Molly and others developed in Samm Ndiaye, Senegal
Senegal
Senegal , officially the Republic of Senegal , is a country in western Africa. It owes its name to the Sénégal River that borders it to the east and north...
: The Community Empowerment Program (CEP) is targeted at both adult and adolescent learners, and is always delivered in local languages. The nonformal education approach is based on human rights, and is divided into two modules: the Kobi (meaning "to till the soil"), covering democracy, human rights, problem-solving skills, health and hygiene; and the Aawde (meaning "to plant the seed"), covering local language literacy, small enterprise development, and mathematics.
The Tostan program has had a considerable impact on the lives of Senegalese women, empowering them to make important decisions affecting their own lives and that of their families. Tostan participants have begun health and hygiene improvement projects leading to the reduction of maternal and infant mortality rates. They have ended violence against women through peaceful protest; dramatically increased rates of vaccinations and pre- and post-natal consultation; and led campaigns to enroll girls in school and register thousands of children who had no official birth certificates. They have even begun implementing successful and sustainable income generating activities. Women now participate in decision-making processes and are emerging as confident and effective leaders.
Molly recognized that the Senegalese themselves, and not outsiders, must be the ones to carry forward this culminating social transformation. On July 31, 1997, the Senegalese began a major social movement. One group of Tostan participants from the village of Malicounda Bambara
Malicounda Bambara
Malicounda Bambara is a village in the M'bour Department of the Thiès Region in western Senegal, located approximately 85 km from the Senegalese capital of Dakar. Founded in 1902 by migrants from neighboring Mali in search of arable land, today the village counts ethnic bambaras, sarakolés,...
decided to abandon the ancient practice of FGC
Female genital cutting
Female genital mutilation , also known as female genital cutting and female circumcision, is defined by the World Health Organization as "all procedures that involve partial or total removal of the external female genitalia, or other injury to the female genital organs for non-medical reasons."FGM...
in their community. This tradition is a social convention in 28 countries of Africa, required in many ethnic groups for girls to marry and become respected members of the community. Since the 1997 declaration in Malicounda Bambara
Malicounda Bambara
Malicounda Bambara is a village in the M'bour Department of the Thiès Region in western Senegal, located approximately 85 km from the Senegalese capital of Dakar. Founded in 1902 by migrants from neighboring Mali in search of arable land, today the village counts ethnic bambaras, sarakolés,...
, 2.996 other communities representing about 50% of the communities that practice FGC in Senegal, have also made public declarations to end this tradition along with ending child/forced marriage. Their decision was motivated by the understanding that these traditional practices are harmful to the health of girls and women, and therefore, violations of their human rights and not in accordance with their religious and cultural values. In 2001, Tostan and Mwangaza, a NGO in Burkino Faso, empowered 23 villages in that country to end FGC through public declaration on May 3, 2003. In Guinea, 298 villages, both Tostan-trained communities and nonparticipating villages, have participated in two public declarations: In Lalya, Middle Guinea
Guinea
Guinea , officially the Republic of Guinea , is a country in West Africa. Formerly known as French Guinea , it is today sometimes called Guinea-Conakry to distinguish it from its neighbour Guinea-Bissau. Guinea is divided into eight administrative regions and subdivided into thirty-three prefectures...
in December 2006 and Tougnifily, Lower Guinea
Guinea
Guinea , officially the Republic of Guinea , is a country in West Africa. Formerly known as French Guinea , it is today sometimes called Guinea-Conakry to distinguish it from its neighbour Guinea-Bissau. Guinea is divided into eight administrative regions and subdivided into thirty-three prefectures...
in June 2007.
Distinctions and Recognition
In 1995, UNESCO chose Tostan as one of the most innovative education programs throughout the world and published a brochure on the Tostan experience. In 1999, Molly Melching was awarded the University of Illinois Alumni Humanitarian Prize and in 2002, the Sargent Shriver Distinguished Award for Humanitarian Service at the 40th Celebration of the Peace Corps. To date, many international films, radio programs, newspaper and magazine articles have been produced on Tostan, the Community Empowerment Program, and Molly herself. In 1997, Ms. Hillary Clinton, wife of then President Bill Clinton, visited a Tostan village and in 1998, both Hillary and The President paid a special visit to the Tostan program.Molly continuously listens to feedback from Tostan participants and adapts Tostan’s Community Empowerment Program, including its methodology and approach, to meet the changing needs of the villagers, always preserving the dignity of the populations she serves through respectful consultation. Through years of experimentation, Tostan has confirmed the importance of human rights education in the process of improving health and other socioeconomic factors in standards of living. In October 2003, World Health Organization chose Tostan’s basic education approach as a “Best Practice Model” for community development and ending FGC, calling for further replication and dissemination of the model to other African nations. In 2005, Tostan won the Anna Lindh Prize for Human Rights, and in 2007 Tostan won two awards: the UNESCO
UNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations...
King Sejong Prize for Literacy, and the Conrad N. Hilton Humanitarian Prize
Conrad N. Hilton Humanitarian Prize
The Conrad N. Hilton Foundation is an American non-profit charitable foundation, established in 1944 by hotel entrepreneur Conrad N. Hilton. It remained relatively small until his death on January 3, 1979 when it was named the principal beneficiary of his estate...
, the largest humanitarian prize in the world.