Article by Molly Melching, Founder, Tostan, 2007 Hilton Humanitarian Prize Laureate
Tostan was awarded the 2007 Hilton Humanitarian Prize. As a result, the NGO saw increased resources and the chance to improve and share its model.
When people hear Tostan won the Conrad N. Hilton Humanitarian Prize in 2007, the first thing they ask about is money. Our prize came with $1.5m, and for any NGO, that was a dream. “What was that like?” they ask. I tell people that, while the money was critical, it was only part of the Hilton Prize’s impact on Tostan. In fact, from the first time we were nominated in 1999, to today, seven years after winning the award, Tostan has grown and flourished because of the different ways this Prize has impacted our work.
Tostan was nominated for the Prize several times. Simply preparing the application reinforced a transformation Tostan was experiencing—from being known as a local, Senegal-based organization working in West Africa to an international NGO. It was while preparing materials for the Hilton Prize that we first put our annual report in brochure form, allowing us to share our work with the world. The process helped improve systems we use to present ourselves, produce better communications materials and inspired us to think about what Tostan’s work means to a global audience.
In 2004, we attended the symposium and Prize ceremony, where I spoke on the importance of human-rights based education to promote sustainable development. At this event, Tostan met dynamic community and world leaders and organizations like Heifer International, which has since become a partner. Networking with others dedicating themselves to large scale social change greatly impacted both me and Tostan.
For the above reasons, I have repeatedly said that, even if we had never received the Hilton Humanitarian Prize, we would have already gained something special through this process. Of course, actually receiving the Prize was a crowning moment in Tostan’s history, acknowledging the work we had put into developing our Community Empowerment Program (CEP) since 1991. Our entire organization celebrated, joined by all who had supported us over the years. The Prize invigorated our staff, our collaborators in the field, and our key partners such as UNICEF and Sida (Swedish International Development Agency) as well as other government stakeholders.
Reuters covered the initial prize announcement, leading to features in the BBC, Al Jazeera, Radio France International, and others. Even Senators Hillary Clinton and Dick Durbin wrote congratulatory notes about Tostan for the Congressional Record and signed copies are displayed in our office today. At the Prize ceremony, we beamed when the Tostan family, including Oureye Sall, a leader and former FGC cutter from a partner village, shared the stage with Ban Ki-Moon. I couldn’t have been prouder to have my government and international leaders recognize the work we had done in a country I have considered home for 40 years.
The announcement of Tostan as a Hilton Humanitarian Prize recipient made the effects of the Prize noticeable even before we actually received it. It brought us instant international visibility, and we were then invited to the Clinton Global Initiative in 2007, leading to coverage in the New York Times and more praise from partners and donors. The Prize strengthened Tostan’s relationship with the Senegalese Government, receiving commendation from the Minister of Women, Family, and Children. One of our key partners was impressed by our success and organized a three-day seminar with representatives from 18 African countries to share our model. Additionally, we were, and continue to be, invited to major international events on empowering education, human rights, and other development issues.
Since receiving the Prize, we have become an active member of the Hilton Prize Laureates Collaborative, giving us opportunities to partner with other recipients in Senegal. The Laureates Collaborative is an independent alliance of the 18 Laureates of the Prize, working together to advance their unique missions and collective impact globally. Currently, Amref Health Africa, Handicap International and Tostan partner to improve maternal health in Senegal in regions most affected by obstetric fistula. We are proud to support and be supported by our fellow laureates.
The Prize has also given us confidence in sharing Tostan’s model. Before, I feared governments and NGOs would forget the years of hard work and devotion our team dedicated to developing our grassroots empowerment model. Receiving the Prize assured us that our thoughtful approach to sharing was right, seeing increasing requests from NGOs for training. We are currently working on launching the Keemulak Center, where we will train organizations and individuals on community-led development, the nature and dynamics of social norm change and other aspects of our model.
What began as an educational experience for a relatively small NGO became a sudden and wonderful transition to a new world in which Tostan sees increased resources and the chance to improve and share its model. We have already reached over 3 million people with our program, and I have no doubt the Conrad N. Hilton Humanitarian Prize of 2007 will continue to positively impact our organization for many years to come.