Annual Report2011

Front cover photograph: CEP participant during the 3rd Annual Youth Caravan in The Gambia

5 LetterfromtheExecutiveDirector

6 2011ataGlance

8 Overview

12 CountryUpdates

23 OurOffices

27 StrategicUpdate

30 Financials

33 ListofSupporters

34 GlossaryofKeyTerms

Contents 3

Contents

Community members of Saam Njaay welcome Tostan during the 2011 Annual Retreat

4 Tostan Annual Report 2011CEP participant during the 3rd Annual Youth Caravan in The Gambia

Dear Friends and Supporters,

2011wasalandmarkyearforTostanaswecelebratedour20thanniversary.

WhenwefirstbeganimplementingtheCommunityEmpowermentProgram(CEP)inSenegalallthoseyearsago,Icouldneverhavedreamedthatnow,20yearslater,over200,000peopleineightcountrieswouldhaveparticipatedinourprogram,andmillionsmorereached.

Eventhoughwehavegrownsignificantly,Iamproudthatwearestillthe sameorganization at heart, dedicated toAfrican communitiesandourvisionofhuman dignity for all.

Aswewere 20 years ago,we remain grateful to our tireless localstaff,especiallyourcommunityfacilitators,supervisors,andregionalandnationalteamswhosededicationcreatesthecircleinwhichourcommunitypartnersdance.Wearealso incredibly thankful toourlongtermdonorsandsupportersand inparticulartoUNICEF,whohasbeenwiththisfromtheverybeginning.

Inourreport,youwillseeupdatesfromeachoftheeightcountriesinwhichweworkacrossWestandEastAfrica,aswellasnewsfromour vital family members in Tostan International and our sisterorganizationsinCanada,France,andSweden.Oursistrulyacollectiveeffort, and the positive evaluations, international accolades, andhigh-levelpresscoveragewehavereceivedin2011areatestamenttothepowerofourlargeandgrowingfamily.

Whileour internationalrecognitiongrows, it remainsso importanttohaveaprogramthat isrespectedatthelocallevelbyourcommunitypartnersandwhoselivesaretheevidencethatpositivesocialchangeisnotonlypossible,butdeeplypowerful.

As a communitybegins to implement Tostan’s educationprogram,everyone -women,men,children,andadolescents-decidesonacollectivevisionfortheirfuture,andtogethertheyworktowardsthatcommongoal.

Tostanisnowundertakingasimilareffortaswelooktoournext20years-welcomingallthosewhoshareourvisionofhumandignityforallandourapproachofrespectful,community-leddevelopmenttojoinusincreatinganAfrica,andaworld,thatlivesuptoitsfullpotential.

There isanAfricanproverbthatsaysthatthebesttimetoplanttreeswas20yearsago,andthesecondbesttime isnow. Iamthankful that,withyoursupport,Tostan’scommunity-leddevelopmentapproachhastakenrootoverthelast20years,andIverymuchlookforwardtoournext20.

Sincerely,

Letter from the Executive Director 5

LetterfromtheExecutiveDirector

6 2011 at a Glance

2011ataGlance

52,832

CommunityManagementCommittees(CMC)trained

Community-ledawareness-raisingactivities

CommunitiesdeclaringabandonmentofFGCandchild/forcedmarriage

CommunityEmpowermentProgram(CEP)Centers

Countriesworkedin

Youthcaravan

DirectCEPparticipants

2,055

1,500+

1,155

877

8

1

Tostan Annual Report 2011 7Public declaration in Ranérou, Senegal on June 5, 2011

TostanisaUS501(c)(3)non-governmentalorganizationheadquarteredinDakar,Senegal,withthe mission to empower African communities to bring about sustainable development andpositivesocialtransformationbasedonrespectforhumanrights.

Workingprimarilyinremoteregions,weprovideholistic,participatoryeducationtoadultsandadolescentswhohavenothadaccesstoformalschooling.

Since we began our work in 1991, more than 200,000 individuals have participated in ourCommunityEmpowermentProgram(CEP),affectingthelivesofatleasttwomillionpeople.

The long-term abandonment of female genital cutting (FGC) and child/forced marriage isemblematic of the transformative effects of our community-led programs. Thousands ofcommunitiesacrossAfricahavepubliclydeclaredtheirabandonmentofthesepracticesfollowingtheir director indirect engagement inourCEP,which is ahighly effectivemulti-sector, crossborderprogram.

OurapproachtoFGCabandonmenthasbeenintegratedintonationalandinternationalstrategiesincludingtheinternationalDonor’sWorkingGrouponFGM/CandtenUNagencies.Ourworkhasalsobeenrecognizedandcitedasbestpracticebymultipleinternationalorganizationsandpublications,includingtheInternationalCenterforResearchonWomen,theCenterforGlobalDevelopment,andUNICEF.TheGovernmentofSenegalhasadoptedtheTostanapproachinitsactionplanforthecompleteabandonmentofFGCby2015andcalledfortheimplementationoftheCEPin900communities.

YetFGCabandonmentisfarfromtheonlyimpactofourwork.Followingamajorpillarofourstrategicplan,wehaveinrecentyearsbuiltoutourcapacityandevidencebaseforusingtheCEPasafoundationforpositivechangeinotherissuesandsectors.Theseincludecommunity-ledchildprotection,literacy,women’sempowerment,girls’empowerment,grassrootsdemocracy,improvedmaternal and childhealth, andpeaceand securityat the communityand regionallevel. Evenasweworkhard to see theabandonmentof FGC scaledup,wewill continue toexploreandexpandourworkintheseandothervitalareas.

TheCEPcurrentlyrunsinsixWestAfricanandtwoEastAfricannationsin20languages.WeareproudtohaveourheadquartersinDakar,SenegalandthatmuchofourworkissupportedatallleadershiplevelsbyAfricanstaff.

8 Overview

Overview

CEP participants in Mauritania

Simultaneous to the CEP classes, each community establishes a Community ManagementCommittee(CMC).TheCMCisa17-member,democraticallyselectedgroupthatcoordinatesactivities in and out of the Tostan classroom. Tostan trains these committees in awareness-raising,socialmobilization,andprojectmanagementtechniques.EvenaftertheCEPclassesarecompleted,theCMCremainsactiveandengagedincommunitydevelopmentefforts.

OncetheCEPhasbeenimplementedinthecommunity,ourEmpoweredCommunitiesNetwork(ECN) helps to facilitate partnerships between CommunityManagement Committees (CMC)that have completed the program and donors, African and international NGOs, and otherserviceproviders.OftenagroupofCMCswill formafederation,whichallowsthemtoworkcollaborativelyondevelopmentprojects.

Overview 9

The Community Empowerment Program

Module Content Impact

Kobi

AMandinkawordmeaning‘topreparethefieldfor

planting’

Discussionsonthefundamentalsofdemocracy,

humanrights,andproblem-solvingaswellas

hygieneandhealth.Specifically,understanding

positiveandharmfulpracticestomaintainbest

health.

Participantsempoweredwithknowledgeoftheir

humanrightsandresponsibilities.Communitydialogueontheserightscanleadtothecollective

decisiontoabandonharmfultraditionalpractices,suchas

FGCandchild/forcedmarriage.

Aawde

AFulaniwordmeaning‘toplanttheseed’

Literacyandnumeracylearning.Trainingonproject

managementandmicro-credit.

Peopleempoweredtoleadandmanagetheirowndevelopmentandhaveaccesstoeconomic

opportunity.

ThefoundationofourworkistheCommunityEmpowermentProgram(CEP),athree-yearnon-formaleducationandcommunity-leddevelopmentprogram.

CEPparticipantsrepresentthecommunityatlarge,includingwomenandmen,girlsandboys,eldersandyouth,andvariousethnicgroupsandsocialstrata.Mosthaveneverbeentoformalschool,orhavedroppedoutatanearlyage.

Thethree-yearprogramisbroadlydividedintotwophases:theKobi,whichengagescommunitiesindiscussionsofdemocracy,humanrights,health,andproblem-solving;andtheAawde,whichfocuses on literacy, numeracy, and project management skills. It also uses community-ledoutreachstrategiesthatengageprogramparticipantsintheirownandneighboringvillages,anoutreachmodelwecallorganized diffusion.

10 Overview

Ineachcountryinwhichwework,wesetupacountrycoordinationofficemanagedbyanationalcoordinatorwithateamoflocalstaff.WecurrentlyhavecountrycoordinationofficesinDjibouti,Guinea,Guinea-Bissau,Mali,Mauritania,Senegal,Somalia,andTheGambia.EachcoordinationhastheflexibilitytoadapttheTostanapproachtotheculturalcontextandenvironmentofthespecificcountryandregion. Ourheadquarters,TostanInternational,isbasedinDakar,SenegalwithanofficeinWashington,DC.

WealsohavesisterorganizationsinCanada,France,andSweden,whichhelptofacilitateourworkwithdiasporacommunitiesanddonors.

How We Work

Tostan team members during the 2011 Annual Retreat

Tostan Annual Report 2011 11Presenting infant care in Mali

12 Country Updates

Tostan DjiboutiIn partnershipwith the Government of Djibouti andUNICEF, Tostan hasworked in the EastAfricancountrysince2007andcurrently implements itsCommunityEmpowermentProgram(CEP)in31communities.

July3,2011sawthefirsteverdeclarationoffemalegenitalcutting (FGC) and child/forced marriage in the country,with92communitiespubliclydeclaringtoabandonthesepractices.TheeventwasendorsedbyKadraMahamoundHaid, First Lady of Djibouti, and was attended by 200

dignitaries, includinggovernmentauthorities,parliamentarians, religious leaders,civil societyassociations,diplomaticmissions,andTostanteammembersfromvariouscountrycoordinations.

In November 2011, Tostan Djibouti launched Tostan’s new Child ProtectionModule, a five-session CommunityManagement Committee (CMC) training designed to provide CMCswithskillsandresourcestoactivelyprotectchildrenintheircommunitiesfromviolenceandabusebycreatingnew‘communitylaws’basedonhumanrights.

Portrait from Djibouti: CMC member Fatouma Mohamed DabaléFatoumaMohamedDabalé, 31, lives in the village of Dikhil Somali in the south of Djibouti.ShebeganparticipatingintheCEPin2009andbecametheAssistantoftheSocialMobilizationCommission of her community’s CMC in 2010. As a member of the Social MobilizationCommission,Fatoumaplayedalargepartinpreparingforthepublicdeclarationbyorganizingawareness-raisingeventsabouttheharmfulconsequencesofFGC.“BeforeIthoughtthatitwasnormaltocutgirls,”saidFatouma,“weeventhoughtithonoredthewoman.”AfterparticipatingintheTostanProgram,however,Fatoumanowthinksthatthewomenofthecommunityshouldbehonoredinadifferentway.Sheconcluded,“wemustcommunicatewithothersinordertochangethispractice.”

First ever declaration of abandonment of FGC and child/forced marriage.

CountryUpdates

31communities696participants29CMCs84awareness-raisingactivities1publicdeclaration92communitiesdeclaring

Public declaration in Djibouti on July 3, 2011

Country Updates 13

Tostan Guinea

IncollaborationwithUNICEFandtheGovernmentofGuinea,TostanimplementeditsCommunityEmpowermentProgram(CEP) in76communities in four regionsofGuinea in2011, reaching4,312directbeneficiaries.

The Community Management Committees(CMC) in the participating villages togetherformed seven federations in order to bettersupportthedevelopmentinitiativesdesignedat the local level by community membersthemselves.

Over thecourseof2011,CMCs inGuineaorganizedover300communityclean-upactivities,152awareness-raisingactivitiesontheconsequencesofFGC,sixinter-villagemeetings,andonepublicdeclarationfortheabandonmentofFGCandchild/forcedmarriage.

Held on June 5, 2011, thepublic declaration attracted local communitymembers aswell asgovernmentofficials,anditwaspublicizedonlocalandnationalradio.Intotal,197communitiesdeclaredtheirdecisiontoabandonharmfultraditionalpracticesonthatday.

Portrait from Guinea: CEP facilitator Moustapha Goma CamaraMoustaphaGomaCamara,a46year-old fatherof three, is thevillagechiefofTerset-centre,50kilometersoutsideofConakry.Electedvillagechiefin2008forhisabilitytoreadandwriteandhisexperienceworkingforNGOs,Moustaphawasabletocontinuedevelopinghisskillsin2009whenhebecameaTostanfacilitator.Asafacilitator,Moustaphaleadsclasssessionstwotothreetimesaweekandhelpscommunitymembersorganizevillageclean-updays,vaccinationcampaigns,inter-villagemeetings,andsocialmobilisationevents.Actingasaconstantresourceforcommunitymembersandamediatorbetweenkeystakeholders,MoustaphaexemplifiesoneofthehundredsofTostanfacilitatorsthatformthebackboneofourprogram.

76 communities formed seven federations to better support their own development initiatives.

76communities4,312participants70CMCs7CMCfederations152awareness-raisingactivities1publicdeclaration197communitiesdeclaring

Moustapha (far right) with CEP participants in Guinea

Tostan Guinea-Bissau In partnershipwithUNICEF,UNFPA, and theGovernmentofGuinea-Bissau, Tostanhasbeenimplementing the Community Empowerment Program (CEP) in Guinea-Bissau since 2009.The CEP is run in 39 communities across three regionswith classes directly involving 4,139participants.

Thesecommunities,thefirsttoparticipateintheCEPinGuinea-Bissau,completedthefirstpartoftheAawdeonliteracyandprojectmanagementskillsin2011.TheideaspresentedintheCEPwerereinforcedthroughoutneighboringzonesin2011through318community-ledawareness-raisingactivitiesinadoptedvillages,301radiobroadcastsonhumanrightsthemes,thetrainingof39communityhealthagents,andsocialmobilizationtrainingsforTostanfacilitators.TostanGuinea-Bissaualsoinstalled250solarpanelsacrossthreeregions.

In 2011, Tostan facilitators strengthenedtheir collaboration with CMCs to encouragewomentoattendpre-andpost-natalvisitsandvaccinatetheirchildren,aninitiativestartedin2010.

Many of the awareness-raising activities that took place in 2011 addressed awide range ofhealth-relatedtopicsincludingtheimportanceofhygieneindiseaseprevention-specificallyinregardtomalaria,diarrhea,tetanus,andsexuallytransmitteddiseases-andthenegativehealthconsequencesoffemalegenitalcutting(FGC)andchild/forcedmarriage.

Portrait from Guinea-Bissau: Solar SistersIn September 2011, theGuinea-Bissau Coordinationwelcomed back five Tostan participantsfromtheBarefootCollege in Indiawheretheyhadtrainedtobecomesolarengineers.ThesegrandmothersnowinstallandmaintainsolarpanelsinthethreeregionswhereTostanoperates.Thepanelsareusedbyfamiliestolighthealthcenters,schools,andhomesatnight,providingaheightenedsenseofsecurityandallowingchildrentofinishhomeworkandnursestotreatpatients after sunset. A solar-powered cellphone charging station maintained by the solarengineers acts as an income-generating activity. The money generated from the monthlymaintenancefeeandthechargingstationgoestotheCMCs,andthefundsareusedtopaythesolarengineersandcontributetocommunityprojects.In2012,thefivewomenwilltrainnewsolarengineersensuringthesustainabilityofTostan’sSolarPower!Project.

14 Country Updates

Five grandmothers trained in partnership with the Barefoot College to become solar engineers.

39communities4,139participants318awareness-raisingactivities301radiobroadcasts39communityhealthagentstrained250solarpanelsinstalled

Solar Sisters at work in Guinea-Bissau

Tostan MaliInpartnershipwithUSAIDandtheGovernmentofMali,TostanbeganworkinginMaliin2009andcurrentlyimplementstheCommunityEmpowermentProgram(CEP)in38communitiesintwoareasofMali,directlyreaching2,622participants.

In 2011, Community Management Committees (CMC)mobilized their communities to organize registration for118 students in formal schools, polio vaccinations for1,405 children, 41 social mobilisation events, and theconstructionofahealthclinicandaschool in thevillageofBanankoro.Thirty-eightCMCsformedthreefederationsin 2011, allowing them to collaborate on developmentprojects.

Usingtechnologytoreachnewaudiences,TostanMalialsoorganized24liveradiobroadcastsofcontentfromtheCEPin2011.TheradiobroadcastsgavethosenotdirectlyconnectedtotheCEPanopportunitytohearanddiscusshumanrightstopics,furtheringTostan’sapproachtolearningthroughorganizeddiffusion.

InMali, Tostan collaborates with ProjectMuso, an NGO dedicated to reducing poverty anddisease inMali. In2011,ProjectMusoreported thatsince2008, thepercentageofchildrentreated formalariawithin24hoursof their first symptom increased from fourteen to forty-fivepercent,andtheprevalenceof feveramongchildrenunderfivedecreasedfromforty-sixtotwenty-sixpercent.Additionally,inareaswhereProjectMusoimplementsitsprogram,childmortalityratesdecreasedfrom161per1,000deathsin2008to17per1,000deathsin2011.

Portrait from Mali: CEP participant Thérèse SogobaThérèseSogoba,a55year-oldwomanfromGarantiguébougou,firstlearnedabouttheTostanprogramthrougharadiobroadcast.Eagertolearnmore,ThérèsesoughtouttheclosestTostancommunityandbecamean‘adoptedlearner’,meetingwithaTostanparticipantonceaweektodiscussthemesfromtheCEP.Shenowtravels17kilometerstwiceaweektoattendTostanclassesinthevillageofCouloubléniasafull-timeparticipant.ThérèsesaystheCEPhaschangedherlife.Shehasnoticedthatthewomensheknowsnowfeelmorerespectedandcomfortableexpressingtheiropinionsandcontributingtothedecision-makingprocesswiththeirhusbandsandchildren.

Country Updates 15

Local CMCs construct health clinic and school in Banankoro, Mali.

38communities3CMCfederations2,622participants41socialmobilisationevents118schoolregistrations24radiobroadcasts1healthclinicconstructed1schoolconstructed

Thérèse Sogoba

16 Country UpdatesTostan partner, Project Muso, distributes mosquito nets in Mali

Country Updates 17

Tostan MauritaniaIn partnership with the Government of Mauritania and UNICEF, Tostan began working inMauritania in2007. Itnow implements theCommunityEmpowermentProgram (CEP) in30communitiesintheregionofBraknathroughclassesinvolving1,629directparticipants.

In2011,TostanMauritaniahostedseveralseminarsandtrainingswithCommunityManagementCommittee(CMC)members,localofficialsandlocalNGOs.TheseaddressedkeytopicsincludingpartnershipdevelopmentwithlocalNGOs,bestpracticesforworkinginregionswithhighrates

offemalegenitalcutting(FGC),andhowtosupport ‘adopted’ communities and socialmobilizationefforts.

As a result, the CMCs of the 30 villagesorganized three inter-villagemeetings and200 awareness-raising discussion sessionsontopicssuchasFGC,children’svaccination,

and school enrollment. To date, 85 percent of all children in communities where TostanMauritania implements theCEPare vaccinated.Radioprogramsand inter-villageawareness-raisingactivitiesspreadTostan’smessagetoapproximately30,000indirectbeneficiaries.

Tostan also distributed six ‘solar suitcases’ to CEP centers in the Brakna region. These solarsuitcasesconsistofasolarpanelcapableofcharging15cellphonesperday.ThesuitcasesaremanagedbythevillageCMCandserveasanincome-generatingactivitywiththefundsgoingtowardscommunitydevelopmentinitiatives.

Portrait from Mauritania: CEP participant Fatoumata Bocar DiaFatoumataBocarDia,44, isamotherofnine.Sheliveswithherhusbandandchildreninthevillageof SinthianeDiama in southernMauritania. Fatoumataneverattended formal school,butshewasabletogainthenecessaryliteracyandmanagementskillstostartherownbusinessthroughCEPclasssessionsinhervillage.Afterreceivingamicro-creditloan,shestartedseveralprofitableincome-generatingactivitiessuchassellingfreshfish,dyingcloth,andgrowingandsellingvegetables.“BeforeIbeganmyactivities,”Fatoumatasaid,“Iconductedafeasibilitystudy.Ididmarketanalysis,whichI learnedinaTostanseminar...asaresultofmyactivities,Ihavebecomefinancially independent frommyhusbandwho isnotabletotakecareof thewholefamilybyhimself.”Sheconcluded,“IfeellikeIamengaginglesswithdomesticworkandIhaveawholenewdirectiontomylife.”

30,000 extra people reached through radio programs and inter-village awareness-raising activities on themes from the CEP.

30communities1,629participants3inter-villagemeetings200awareness-raisingactivities6solarpanelsdistributed

CMC distributes micro-credit funds in Mauritania

Tostan SenegalTostanpartneredwiththeGovernmentofSenegalandtwelveorganizationstoimplementtheCommunityEmpowermentProgram(CEP)intenofSenegal’sfourteenregionsin2011.

With468CEPcentersand25,150directparticipants,TostanSenegal furthered itsmissionofempoweringAfricancommunitiestobringaboutsustainabledevelopmentandpositivesocial

transformation based on respect for human rights. Inadditiontoworkinginvillages,TostanalsocontinuedtoconductamodifiedversionoftheCEPinfiveSenegaleseprisonswiththeaimofreducingsentencesandtherateofre-offending.

In2011,ninepublicdeclarationstookplaceinvolving749communitiesdeclaringabandonmentoffemalegenitalcutting(FGC)andchild/forcedmarriage.Thesecommunitiesjoinedthenationalmovementforcompleteabandonment of FGC, increasing the total number of communities todeclareabandonmentofthepracticeinSenegalto5,002.

TostanSenegalcontinuedeffortstopromotetheprotectionofchildrenin2011withanewCommunityManagementCommittee(CMC)trainingonchildren’s rights. Sixty-fourofSenegal’s1,624CMCscompleted thefive-daytraining.Throughthetraining,theCMCsbecameequippedwiththe knowledge and skills to organize campaigns that encourage birthregistration,vaccination,andschoolenrollmentforchildren.Theyalsoputsystemsinplacetoprotectchildrenfromviolenceandabuse.

Portrait from Senegal: CEP facilitator Ayda NdaayIn1988,Aydaparticipatedinanon-formaleducationprogramthatwouldlaterbecomeTostan’sCEP.Shelearnedtoread,write,andactivelyparticipateindiscussionsonhumanrights,hygiene,andhealth.AfterspeakingtoMollyMelchingaboutherdesiretosharewhatshehadlearnedwithherpeers,AydabecameaTostanfacilitatorin1992.Fornearlytwodecades,Ayda’sworkanddedicationhelpedspreadtheTostanprogramfromherownvillage tofiveotherswhereAyda spent three years in each village. Along theway, Aydametwith different governmentofficialsanddignitaries, includingthen-FirstLadyHillaryRodhamClinton.AydawasalwaysattheforefrontoftheTostanteam,leadingthewayforotherwomenandcommunitymembers.InDecember2011,Aydapassedawayfrombreastcancer,butherlegacyoftirelessworkforpeaceandhumandignityforallwillliveoninthegoalsTostanaspirestoachieve.

18 Country Updates

Early release program in five Senegalese prisons.

468communities25,150participants1,624CMCs56CMCfederations9publicdeclarations749communitiesdeclaring64CMCstrainedinchildprotection

Our partners in SenegalAnti-SlaveryInternationalCEPAIMComunidaddeMadridForumSydJohnson&JohnsonMuslimWomen’sFundNikeFoundationRadioSwedenUNICEFSenegalUSEmbassyWallaceGlobalFoundationWilliamandFloraHewlettFoundation

Ayda Ndaay

Tostan and UNICEF: A unique and powerful 20 year partnershipIn2011,Tostannotonlycelebrateditstwentiethanniversary,butalsothemanysupportersthathavehelpedussurviveandthrivealongtheway.AmongthemanyindividualsandorganizationsthathavebroughtTostantothispoint,noneperhapsstandsoutmoreclearlythanourfirstandlongest-standingpartner,UNICEF.

WhilethenumberofcommunitiesTostanhasbeenabletoreachthankstoUNICEF’ssupportisover1,070todate,thepartnershipbetweenthetwoorganizationsgoesmuchdeeper.

In fact,Tostan’s relationshipwithUNICEFdatesbacktobeforeTostan formallyexisted,whenMollyMelchingfirstbegan to thinkaboutexpanding thebasiceducationmodel sheandherAfricancolleagueshaddevelopedinruralcommunitiesinSenegalinthe1980s.

“UNICEF was seeking a community-based and led program that would lay a foundation for future development projects and saw the great potential in the program our team had developed. We initially implemented in villages where UNICEF had projects to insure ownership and sustainability.”-MollyMelching

UNICEFcontinuedtosupportTostanafteritsfoundingin1991,andwhenthemovementfortheabandonmentoffemalegenitalcutting(FGC)firstemergedinSenegalinthelate1990s,UNICEFplayedanimportantrole.Theyrealizedthatitwasahistoricmomentandthatthegrassrootsmovementneededtobesupported,reinforced,andfurtherexpanded.

ThepartnershipgrewfurtherwhenUNICEFheadquartersinNewYorkandtheUNICEFInnocentiResearch Center began to more formally collaborate with Tostan, other organizations, andresearchers,suchasDr.GerryMackie,tobetterunderstandandsharesocialnormtheory.

Tostan and UNICEF country and international teams have also partnered on numerousinternational evaluations, as well as country-level collaborations, not to mention innovativeprogramssuchasthepioneeringuseofcellphonesforliteracyanddevelopment.

Buildingonlessonslearnedandexperiencesfromthelast20yearsofthisdynamicpartnership,Tostanistodaybetterpreparedtoexpandourmodelforpositivesocialtransformationtomanyothercommunitiesandcountries.

“We cannot even talk about Tostan without talking about UNICEF. UNICEF is a big part of why Tostan has been able to successfully reach so many people for more than 20 years.”-MollyMelching.

Our partners in SenegalAnti-SlaveryInternationalCEPAIMComunidaddeMadridForumSydJohnson&JohnsonMuslimWomen’sFundNikeFoundationRadioSwedenUNICEFSenegalUSEmbassyWallaceGlobalFoundationWilliamandFloraHewlettFoundation

Tostan and UNICEF 19Public declaration in Mbour, Senegal on March 8, 2011

20 Country UpdatesCEP participant speaking at the declaration in Djibouti on July 3, 2011

Tostan SomaliaPartneringwithUNICEF in Somalia since 2006, Tostan currently implements the CommunityEmpowermentProgram(CEP)in21communitiesinSomalilandand21communitiesinPuntland,reachingover2,000participants.

In2011,facilitators,participants,andCommunityManagementCommittee(CMC)membersofthe42communitiesweretrainedontheKobi,whichspecifically looksathygieneandhealth.Putting their training into action, they organized multiple social mobilization activities andcommunity-widediscussionsthatresultedinsharingtheinformationlearnedwithover5,200peoplewhowerenotparticipatinginTostan’sprogram.

InSeptember2011,theSomalilandCultureandSportAssociation(SOSCA)partneredwithTostantoorganizeatrainingworkshopforformerpractitionersoffemalegenitalcutting(FGC)insocialmobilizationtechniquestopromotetheabandonmentoftheharmfulpractice.Thetrainingwasalsodeliveredtoadolescentgirlssothattheycouldactaspeereducators.

Laterintheyear,TostanparticipatedintheNationalReligiousLeadersDeclarationConferenceonFGCAbandonment.DuringthisconferenceheldonNovember28,2011,religiousleadersinPuntlandpromotedtheabandonmentofFGCandstressedthatthepracticewasnotconnectedinanywaytoIslam.

Additionally,representativesfromtheTostanprograminSomalilandattendedapublicdeclarationinDjiboutionJuly3rd,duringwhichrepresentativesfrom92communitiesinDjibouticollectivelyannouncedtheirdecisiontoabandonallformsofFGC.

Portrait from Somalia: CMC member Malko JamaMalkoJamaisthechairpersonoftheSocialMobilizationCommissionoftheCMCinhervillageofQoradheer.AformerFGCpractitioner,JamanowadvocatesfortheabandonmentofFGC.Duringinter-villagemeetings,Jamapresentstheneedle,thread,andointmentthatsheusedtoperformFGC. She confesses that even though she has stopped her former trade, many communitymembersstillrequestherservices.Committedtoprotectingwomenandgirls,Jamahascreatedinspiringawareness-raisingsongsanddirectsatheatergroupthatperformsatpubliceventstostrengthenthemovementtoabandonharmfulpractices.

Over 2,000 direct participants in the Community Empowerment Program.

42communitiesOver2,000participants42CMCs21awareness-raisingactivities

Country Updates 21

CEP participants perform a skit in Somaliland

Tostan The GambiaIn partnership with UNICEF The Gambia, Tostan began implementation of the CommunityEmpowermentProgram(CEP) in2007.Today,TostanTheGambiaalsocollaborateswithNikeGeneralManagers,theSwedishPostcodeFoundation,OrchidProject,andtheGovernmentofTheGambia.TostanrunstheCEPin153communitiesinTheGambia’sUpperRiverRegion(URR),reaching12,241directbeneficiaries.

2011 saw 80 communities complete the CEP inThe Gambia and continue development activitiesthroughtheCMCsestablishedineachvillage.

InJune2011,over1,800peoplerepresenting117Gambiancommunitiespubliclydeclaredtheirdecisiontoabandonfemalegenitalcutting(FGC)andchild/forcedmarriage.

Alsoduring2011,TostanTheGambiacollaboratedwithUNICEFonsupplementarydevelopmentprojectsandorganizedmorethan150awareness-raisingevents,104radiobroadcastsofCEPthemes,andfacilitatedthebirthregistrationsofover9,000children.

Portrait from The Gambia: CEP participant Abdoulie SidibehRecognizinghispassionforcommunity-leddevelopmentatayoungage,youthactivistandTostanCEPparticipantAbdoulieSidibeh,20,emergedasaleaderduringthe3rdAnnualGambianYouthCaravaninOctober2011.AlongsideotherGambianyouth,Abdouliehelpedcoordinatethefive-dayawareness-raisingeventwhich includedover170youthparticipantsandfacilitators from73 Fula,Mandinka, and Serahule communities. The caravan visitedfive villages representingthethreeethnicgroupswherecommunitymemberspreformedskits,songs,anddancesabouthumanrights.ThefinaldayincludedamarchfromtheTostanofficeinBassetothegovernor’sresidencetopresentamanifesto,whichaskedforthegovernment’sinvolvementintheireffortstosecurehumanrightsforall.

80 communities completed the CEP and continued their own development activities.

153communities12,241participants153CMCs1publicdeclaration117communitiesdeclaring150awareness-raisingactivities104radiobroadcasts1youthcaravan

22 Country Updates

CEP participants during the 3rd Annual Youth Caravan in The Gambia

Tostan International

With offices in Dakar, Senegal and Washington DC, Tostan International continues to raiseawarenessofTostan’sworkwithsupporteranddonoraudiencesworldwide.ThroughtheTostanwebsite,newsletter,blog,andsocialmediachannels,oursupportersarekeptuptodatewiththelatestTostannewsandinitiatives.

Tostanwas featuredprominently in local and internationalmedia in2011,witha front-pagestory in theNewYorkTimesaswellascoverage in theFinancialTimes,Newsweek,NationalGeographic,theInternationalHeraldTribune,andothers.

MollyMelching,Tostan’sFounderandExecutiveDirector,wasnamedinNewsweekasoneofthe‘150WomenWhoShaketheWorld’andbyForbesmagazineasoneofthe‘MostPowerfulWomeninWomen’sRights’.

TostanInternational’sDC-basedDevelopmentteamalsometgreatsuccessin2011,exceedingtheirfundraisinggoalfortheAnnualYearEndCampaign,whichwasthenmatched100percentbytheGreenbaumFoundation.

In2011,TostanInternational’sDakarofficewelcomedseveralnewstaffmemberstosupporttheprojectpreparationforTostan’snewestinitiatives:theSida-fundedPeaceandSecurityProject,athree-yearprojectaimingtoengagelocalcommunitiesinregionalpeace-buildingactivities,andtheWilliamandFloraHewlettFoundationproject‘ContributingtoLearnerOutcomes,’whichwillhelpparentspreparechildrenages0-6forschool.

OurOffices

Our Offices 23Public declaration in Djibouti on July 3, 2011

24 Our Offices

Tostan Canada

Tostan France

TostanCanadawasfoundedin2011tohelpdevelopTostan’sinfrastructuretoattractawiderbaseofinternationalsupporters.

Duringitsfirstyear,TostanCanadahasworkedondevelopingitspresenceandbrandthroughitswebsiteandbrochure.Inaddition,aTostanCanadaDirectorvisitedSenegalwithCanadianpartners instrumental to thescale-upofTostan’swork. Theymetwithcommunitymembersfrom the foundation’s project inMauritania, attended an inter-villagemeeting in the FoutaregionofSenegal,andvisitedaprisoninThiès,Senegal.

TostanFrancehasworkedtosupportTostan’sactivitiesinAfricaandextendtheTostanprogramtodiasporacommunitiesinEuropesince2007.

In 2011, Tostan Franceworked to engage diaspora communities in initiatives in their homecommunitiesaspartoftheDiasporaProjectforPeaceandSecurityinWestAfrica.TostanFrancehosteddiscussiongroupsandcontinued to implementamodifiedversionof theCommunityEmpowermentProgram(CEP)designedforthosecommunities.

TostanFrancealsocontinuedtopartnerwithTostanSenegalin2011ontheproject‘FilmsforSocialChange.’Theyscreenedtwofilms,Walking the Path of Unity andFouta, It is Time to Talk,tohundredsofadultsandadolescentsfromFranceandSpain.Twenty-sevenscreeningsfor6,800peopleintheSenegaleseRiverValleywerealsoorganized.Thefilmsaimtorespectfullyinitiatepublicdialogueaboutfemalegenitalcutting(FGC)usinginclusiveandnon-judgmentallanguage.

Tostan Canada partner visiting Senegal

Tostan SwedenTostanSwedenwasfoundedin2004toraisefundsandpromoteawarenessofTostan’seffortsinAfrica.TostanSweden’sdonorsandsupportershaveprovidedfinancialsupportfor69CommunityEmpowermentProgram(CEP)projectsinSenegalandTheGambia,aswellasforTostan’sPrisonProjectinSenegal.

In2011,TostanSweden raisedawareness forTostan’sworkby takingpart inworkshopsandlecturesorganizedbySwedish-basedgovernmentalandcivilsocietyorganizationsfocusingonhumanrightsinAfrica.

TostanSwedenalsoincreasedTostan’svisibilitybyconductingpresentationsathighschoolsanduniversities anddeveloped a newsletter for donors andpartners. Representatives of TostanSweden visitedWest Africa three times in 2011; oncewith a group of Swedish high schoolstudentsandtwiceforprojectmonitoringpurposesinSenegalandTheGambia.

Our Offices 25Discussion group lead by Tostan France in Montreuil, France

26 Tostan Annual Report 2011Aissata Ba sings the Wolof alphabet in Kolma Peuhl, Senegal

StrategicUpdatePlease read this update together with the 2010-2015 Tostan Strategic Plan. The full strategic plan can be found on Tostan’s website (www.tostan.org).

Strategic Update 27

OverviewWe have made significant progress in many strategic priority areas outlined in our 2010-2015strategicplan, includinggrowingthemovementfortheabandonmentoffemalegenitalcutting (FGC) and child/forcedmarriage while demonstrating the impact of the CommunityEmpowermentProgram(CEP) inotherareas– includingchildprotection,peaceandsecurity,andeducation.

Ourmaingoalofreaching3,000communitieswiththeCEPby2015remainsfeasible.Thelocationofthesecommunitiesislikelytoincludefewernewcountriesandmorecurrentcountriesthaninitiallyplannedaswehavenotyetfoundidealconditionsforaddingcountries.

Operationally,wehavecompletelytransformedourgovernance,humanresource,andfinancesystems,aswellassignificantpartsofourinfrastructure.Wehavealsomadeimportantstridesinourtraining,monitoringandevaluation,andprogrammingcapacities.Ourmosturgentchallengeistofinishbuildingupourresourcedevelopmentandfundraisingsystems,whichwillbeintegraltoreachingourobjectives.

1. Build Organizational Capacity

A. Prepare Human Resources for ScaleComplete: All initial activities, including:Hirehighly-qualified staff to trainandmentorexistingstaffforgrowthandpromotion;Investinhumanresourcesystemsto better evaluate, support and train staff, while ensuring Tostan maintainsits organizational culture; and Continue to grow and develop Tostan’s AfricaVolunteerProgram.

B. Build Long-term Financial Sustainability Complete:Transitionprojectcostingfromdirecttobestpracticedirectandindirectcosting; Reinforcing Grant-seeking systems; Explore options to unite donorsaround pooled funding model; and Leverage impacts in other areas for newfundingstreams.Inprocess:Buildinnovativeretailandmajordonorfundraisingsystems;ExploreoptionsthatallowTostantopartnerwithotherorganizationstodelivertheTostanprogram.

C. Improve Communications to Tell Tostan’s StoriesIn process: Allinitialactivitiesareinprocess.Progresswasnotedinlarge-scalecoverageofTostan’sworkbytheNewYorkTimesandothermajorpublications.

D. Reinforce Infrastructure and ResourcesComplete: Build IT infrastructure and training; Replace ailing infrastructure.In process: Prepare and Publish the Community Empowerment Program; andPackageforscaleddistribution.

28 Strategic Update

E. Develop Appropriate Training SystemsComplete: Create internal Tostan training system development team; andResearchothersuccessfultrainingmodelsworldwide.Inprocess:Identifytrainingaudiencesandpriorities;andDevelopandtestnewtrainingpedagogy.

2. Further Strengthen Programs

A. Demonstrate Community Empowerment Program Impact in New AreasIn process: Allinitialactivitiesareinprocess.Significantprogresshasbeenmadeindevelopingprogrampotentialinnewareas,notablyinchildprotection,peaceandsecurity,andeducation.

B. Support Innovative Additions to the Community Empowerment Program

In process: Allinitialactivitiesareinprocess.ProgresswasnotedontheextensionoftheSolarPower!Projecttonewcommunities.

C. Reinforce the Empowered Communities NetworkIn process: All initialactivitiesare inprocess.Progresswasnoted inachievingdirect funding for 50+ Community Management Committees and negotiatingseveralkeypartnershipsforfuturegrowth.

3. Expand in Efficient and Effective Ways

A. Follow momentum and key strategies in movement to abandon female genital cutting & child/forced marriage

In process: All initialactivitiesare inprocess.Significantprogresswasnoted inbringing the totalnumberof communitiesparticipating indeclarations for theabandonmentofthesepracticestoover5,000.

B. Follow momentum in newly-demonstrated impact areas (See 1B, 2A, 2B)

In process: Allinitialactivitiesareinprocess.Significantprogresshasbeenmadeindevelopingprogrampotentialinnewareas,notablyinChildProtection,PeaceandSecurity,andEducation.

C. Prioritize existing-presence countries On Track: Scaleup implementationof theCommunityEmpowermentProgramineightcurrentcountries.Tostaniscurrentlyontracktoreachitsgoalof3,000communitieswithinamarginof+/-300by2015.Successwillrelyheavilyuponfinancialsustainabilityobjectivesoutlinedin1B.

D. Expand to new countries when conditions are idealIn process: Tostan is inactivediscussionswith supportersandpartnersaboutpotentialnewcountryexpansion.

Tostan Annual Report 2011 29Khady reads to her grandmother, Ami, in Kolma Peuhl, Senegal

Financials

30 Financials

BalanceSheet

Current Assets

Cashandcashequivalents Investments Grantsreceivable Employeereceivables Contributionsandotherreceivables Prepaidexpensesandotherassets

Total current assets

2011

$4,222,96234,801

2,571,04749,15181,82024,548

6,984,329

2010

$4,506,54834,061

563,11538,275

153,66717,612

5,313,278

Property and Equipment

Land Buildingsandimprovements Furnitureandofficeequipment Computerequipment Vehicles

Less:Accumulateddepreciationandamortization

Netpropertyandequipment

Total Assets

298,573451,750368,68881,224

779,505

1,979,740(1,077,336)

902,404

$ 7,886,733

303,693362,523320,792213,897821,075

2,021,980(1,004,940)

1,017,040

$ 6,330,318

Assets

Current Liabilities

Accountspayableandaccruedliabilities

Net Assets

Unrestricted Temporarilyrestricted

Totalnetassets

Total Liabilities and Net Assets

$290,437

2,259,6225,336,674

7,596,296

$ 7,886,733

$137,517

1,854,4834,338,318

6,192,801

$ 6,330,318

Liabilities and Net Assests

Financials 31

IncomeStatement

447,911

1,403,495

6,192,801

$ 7,596,296

(259,588)

1,567,051

4,625,750

$ 6,192,801

Support and Revenue

Grantsandcontributions Interestandinvestmentincome In-kindcontributions NetTrainingCenterloss Other

Totalsupportandrevenue

2011

$9,964,6345,857

60,653(98,532)10,426

9,943,038

2010

$8,975,0246,612

317,247(19,861)114,829

9,393,851

Expenses

ProgramServices

SupportingServices: GeneralandAdministrative Fundraising

Totalsupportingservices

Totalexpenses

Changeinnetassetsbeforeotheritem

7,600,500

1,246,094140,860

1,386,954

8,987,454

955,584

6,229,585

967,652369,975

1,337,627

7,567,212

1,826,639

Other Item

Exchangerategain(loss)

Changeinnetassets

Netassetsatbeginningofyear

Net Assets at End of Year

Expenditures in 2011 (USD)

GeneralandAdministrative$1,246,09413.8%

ProgramServices$7,600,50084.6%

Fundraising$140,860

1.6%

32 Tostan Annual Report 2011Children at the Peace and Security Project launch in Tankanto Mawnde, Senegal

ListofSupporters

List of Supporters 33

AmericanJewishWorldServiceAnnenbergFoundationAnonymousDonorsAnti-SlaveryInternationalCEPAIMandCommunityofMadridForumSydTheGreenbaumFoundationHapkeHewlett-PackardCompanyJacobandHildaBlausteinFoundationJohnson&JohnsonCorporateContributionsMicrosoftMuslimWomen’sFoundationNikeFoundationNikeGeneralManagersNorwegianAgencyforDevelopmentCooperationOrchidProjectPathfinderInternationalPathyFamilyFoundationPlanetWheelerFoundationRadioSwedenFoundationSkollFoundationSwedishInternationalDevelopmentAgencySwedishPostcodeFoundationTheTomandGailKanebFamilyFoundationTheWilliamandFloraHewlettFoundationTostanCanadaTostanFranceTostanSwedenUNFPAUNICEFUnitedInternetforUNICEFFoundationUnitedStatesDepartmentofStateUSAID

IndividualDonors:$10,000+AshokeSathyBarbaraHerbstBillJ.PearceBlandinaRojek1997CharitableLeadTrustFrenchAmericanCharitableTrustSchwabCharitableFundTheMelkusFamilyFoundation

$5,000+BarbaraCaseyCarlE.KesslerFamilyFoundationKaimasFoundationOmidyarNetworkFund,Inc.RuthGalanterSuzanneCrandall

$2,000-$4,999CommunityFoundationofGreaterMemphisDanielMarsiliDavidCasperDianeandMichaelGillespieJudyM.MillerKarenKetteringandGregoryDimitKuehlthauFamilyFoundationLauraandAlexeiKosut-BackMarkandLisaWheelerTheWestportFund

$1,000-$1,999AnneRossiArizonaCommunityFoundationAycoCharitableFoundationHartmutKnaufandJosieSoHathawayBarryJasonForauerJenniferHallenbeck&InglemoorHighSchoolFrenchClubJenniferHedrickJohnAndresenJosephNyeMarjorieWholeyMatthiasKoehnMechthildSchroepelMichelleDePiantePaulaHoltPaulineBanducciRobertChallenerSuzanneandPeterRomatowski

Ourworkwouldnotbepossiblewithout the individualandmonthlycontributionsmadetousbyoursupporters.Unfortunatelywedonothave the spacehere to thankall those who donated up to $1,000 but we extendour deepest gratitude to you. We would also like tothank those individuals who organized fundraising orawareness-raising events for Tostan and all those whochose to give via Network for Good, Important Gifts,Good Search, orwho supportedus throughoneof themany other online resources. We also acknowledgematchinggiftsbytheBillandMelindaGatesFoundation,theBPFoundation,theClevelandDodgeFoundation,theConradN.HiltonFoundation,theGoldmanSachs&Co.Matching Gift Program, the Gordon and Betty MooreFoundation, theMerck Partnership for Giving, and theMicrosoftMatchingGiftsProgram.Lastbutnotleast,wewould like to thankour schoolpartnersAustinCollege,DanvilleHighSchoolandInglemoorHighSchoolfortheirwonderfulworktoraiseawarenessandfundsforTostaneachyear.

34 Glossary

GlossaryofKeyTerms

Aawde:AFulaniwordmeaning‘toplanttheseed’.TheAawdeisthesecondandfinalcomponentofTostan’seducationprogram,theCommunityEmpowermentProgram(CEP).ThetopicscoveredduringtheAawdeinclude:pre-literacy, literacy,andwriting;basicmath;andsmall-projectmanagement. Child/forced marriage:Theforcedmarriageofgirlsundertheageof18.Younggirlswhomarryaschildrenusuallymustleaveschool;therefore,theyareunabletoreachtheirfullsocial,economic,andintellectualpotential.Therearealsomanyphysical,emotional,andpsychologicalhealthriskslinkedtoearlysexualactivityandchildbearing.

Community Empowerment Program (CEP): Tostan’s three-year education program, conducted in African national languages.TheCEPprovidesparticipantswithknowledge,skills,andexperiencein:democracy,humanrightsandresponsibilities,problemsolving,hygiene,health,literacy,math,andprojectmanagement.Thegoaloftheprogramistoenableparticipantstoleadthedevelopmentoftheirowncommunities. Community Empowerment Program (CEP) Center:AspecificvillageinwhichTostandirectlyimplementstheCEP.

Community Management Committee (CMC): The17-member,democraticallyelectedgroup that coordinatesactivities inandoutoftheTostanclassroom.TheCMCorganizesawareness-raisingandsocialmobilizationevents, leadsdevelopmentprojectsdesignedbythecommunity,andremainsactiveaftertheCEPiscompleted. Empowered Communities Network (ECN):ATostan-organizednetworkthatfosterspartnershipsbetweensuccessfulCommunityManagementCommittees(CMCs)thathavecompletedtheprogramanddonors,AfricanandinternationalNGOs,andotherserviceproviders.OftenagroupofCMCswillformafederation,whichallowsthemtoworkcollaborativelyondevelopmentprojects.

Female genital cutting (FGC):Sometimesreferredtoasfemalegenitalmutilation(FGM)orfemalecircumcision,itisarangeofpracticesinvolvingthecompleteorpartialremovaloralterationof[female]externalgenitalia.’

Inter-village meetings: Large gatherings where community representatives who are already connected through pre-existingnetworks of communication and exchange meet together to share experiences and discuss potential solutions to commonproblems. Kobi:AMandinkawordmeaning ‘topreparethefield forplanting’.TheKobi is thefirstcomponentof theTostanCommunityEmpowermentProgram,consistingof facilitateddiscussionondemocracy,human rightsand responsibilities,problem-solving,hygiene,andhealth. Organized diffusion (and ‘adopted’ villages):TheprocessthatTostanusestospreadinformationbeyondthewallsoftheclassroomandintofamilies,communities,andregions.AllTostanparticipants‘adopt’afriend,neighbor,orfamilymemberwithwhomtheyshareinformationaboutprogramtopics.Simultaneously,theTostansitevillage,orCEPcenter, itselfthen‘adopts’surroundingcommunities. Public declarations:Eventsthroughwhichcommunitiescometogetherwiththeirextendedsocialnetworkstodemonstratetheircommitmenttoabandoningharmfulpractices,presentaunifiedvisionforpositivechange,andcelebratethepositiveaspectsoftheirculturesandtraditions.Attendedbyreligiousandcommunityleaders,healthworkers,governmentofficials,journalists,NGOrepresentatives,women,men,andchildren. Social mobilization:Organizedinformation-sharingusedtoreinforcerelationshipsandallowparticipantstotakeonnewrolesasteacher, facilitator,andcommunity leader.Seeorganizeddiffusion (and ‘adoptedvillages’), ‘inter-villagemeetings,’and ‘publicdeclarations’formoreinformationonthecomponentsofsocialmobilizationthatTostanuses.

Tostan:Awordmeaning‘breakthrough’inWolof,alanguagespokeninSenegalandTheGambia.

In Senegal:TostanInternationalBP29371Dakar-YoffSenegal,WestAfrica+221338205589

In the United States:Tostan2121DecaturPlace,NWWashington,DC20008+12022991156

www.tostan.orginfo@tostan.org

PhotographscourtesyofTostanstaffandvolunteers.

Formoreinformation

DesignedbyAlisaHamilton