“Imagine an African village where a 14-year-old girl stands proudly to advocate for human rights. Where she is safe from violence. Where she can go to school and become a woman before becoming a wife. Where she and her parents join a community-wide movement for health, democracy and peace. Where together they are transforming the social and family networks that will shape her future. Now imagine thousands more.” – Tostan
What can we, here in Canada, do to help and fight such an uphill battle? Tostan Canada has the answer: help raise more awareness, raise more funds and contribute to positive change.
Tostan Canada was incorporated as a registered charity in 2012 to raise funds to support to Tostan’s transformational community work in Africa. The Canadian chapter is run by a small group of volunteer directors. It has no staff and no office, and one hundred percent of donations received in Canada go directly to Tostan’s programs in Africa. If you would like to know more about this organization, please visit their website.
Phil’s team was excited to work on Tostan Canada’s brand, brochure, donation card and website not only because it’s such a worthy cause, but because this organization had very SMART objectives: specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and time-based goals.
Tostan’s 3-year Community Empowerment Program helps African communities bring about sustainable development and positive social transformation based on human rights. Their program has led to key community successes in the areas of large-scale social change including the growing movement to abandon female genital cutting (FGC) in West Africa, the ending of child/forced marriage and domestic violence and the empowerment of women and girls.
“Tostan’s approach succeeds because of its deep respect for the people it serves.” – Hillary Rodham Clinton
Waylowaylo (Change)
We look forward to seeing how Tostan Canada will continue to grow in the years to come. We are proud to help them reach out to more Canadians to promote respect for the human right to education for all, particularly girls, who have historically had limited access to schooling.
Beyond the positioning strategies, the brand, the online and offline communication tools, Tostan is about people. They wish to empower African communities to bring about sustainable development and positive social transformation based on respect for human rights. Their mission is to ensure that every person—woman, man, girl, and boy—is able to live a life of dignity.
The change is happening already. The organization has won numerous awards and recognition worldwide. Better still, Tostan is changing lives. But don’t take our word for it, listen to Chief Mamoudou Baldé to see the real impact of Tostan’s work:
