West Africa and Beyond: The Power of Community Leadership a Conversation with Tostan Founder Molly Melching and Tim Fijal, Astungkara Way, about the growing movement for sustainable community-led wellbeing

The talk would be an informal interview of Molly Melching, Tostan’s Founder, by Tim Fijal, Astungkara Way, talking about her journey contributing towards the growing movement for sustainable community-led wellbeing in West Africa – and beyond. Molly Melching is a globally recognized leader in education, empowerment, human rights, and community-led development. She has lived and worked in Senegal, West Africa, since 1974 and is the recipient of many global awards. Molly’s and Tostan’s experiences and current initiatives are deeply connected to the values and ways of working taking place at the Green School community. It bears mention that Molly will be arriving just after Tostan hosts the first African Wellbeing Summit in Dakar-Thies, Senegal from November 29-Dec 1 2023, a gathering of hundreds of grassroots leaders, educators, activists, and development practitioners.

Molly Melching has studied, lived, and worked in Senegal since 1974 and founded the international NGO, Tostan, in 1991. Tostan implements an innovative and holistic, three-year empowering education program that has engaged over 3,000 rural African communities in themes of democracy, human rights, health, literacy, and economic empowerment. The organization also builds partnerships to support community-led wellbeing including with government, civil society organizations, and international partners. Tostan’s programs and partnerships have led to over 20,000 rural women taking on leadership posts and over 9,000 communities in eight African countries publicly declaring their commitment to promoting well-being by abandoning harmful traditional practices. Molly and Tostan have received international recognition for their successful work from, among others: the Conrad N. Hilton Humanitarian Prize, the Skoll Award for Social Entrepreneurship, the Thomas J. Dodd Prize in International Justice and Human Rights, the Anna Lindh Human Rights Award and UNESCO’s King Sejong Literacy Prize. A New York Times best-selling book by Aimee Molloy However Long the Night, vividly relates Molly and Tostan’s story. They are also featured in Melinda French Gates’s book, Moment of Lift, and Hillary and Chelsea Clinton’s, The Book of Gutsy Women. Molly also received the title of “Chevalière de l’Ordre National du Lion” (Knight of the National Order of the Lion), one of the highest distinctions awarded by the Government of Senegal.

Tim Fijal is the Team Coordinator of Astungkara Way. A local-to-global movement-building healthier soil and ecosystems by connecting humans with nature and the source of the food we eat. He was previously the Founder/Director of Kul Kul Connection at Green School, an initiative that bridged the local and international communities to collaborate on sustainability initiatives.

This talk is happening at The Bridge, but we will Livestream it also.
LINK TO THE CALL