Minister Kinteh, who was speaking during a day-long strategic planning session with key stakeholders in the country held at her ministry conference hall, said: “Both in The Gambia and across our organisation, Tostan understands that the challenges faced by communities and their partners are in many cases growing, and for this reason, the design of the plan for 2023-2030 will contribute to sustained community well-being.”
Officials said the convergence is aimed to gather stakeholder’s perspectives on Tostan’s strategic position. The grassroots NGO which started operating in the country in 2006 has now reached more than 200 communities in both the Upper and Central parts of the country. It has been credited by many as one of the leading NGO’s in the Upper River Region and the country at large that is working towards transforming the lives and livelihoods of the beneficiary communities.
Other observers and commentators argue that due to the intervention of the NGO in the beneficiary regions, the deeply rooted cultural traditional practices, dubbed-Female Genital Cutting (FGC), among others has drastically reduced. The NGO is also focused on promoting rights and democracy, health and hygiene, illiteracy among a host of others.
“Tostan is fundamentally committed to working in complete alignment with the responsible authorities, in support of all relevant government plans and goals at local, regional, and national level in coordination with other actors,” Minister Kinteh said.
The previous plan 2019-2022, she added, had focused on supporting the scale of community well-being. “The overarching framework is to work in ways that empower communities and engage the government resources and actors that are vital to sustained progress.”
As an organisation, she continued, Tostan had focused on three pathways which is delivering programs, sharing and training actors, and working to influence the global community. “In The Gambia, Tostan focuses especially on The Community Empowerment Programme (CEP). Since 2019, the NGO has been able to work in 30 URR and 60 CRR communities.”
Edrisa Keita, the national coordinator of Tostan International The Gambia, dwelled on the significance of the convergence, claiming that the grassroots NGO has worked tremendously in changing the lives of its beneficiary communities over the past years.
“The strategic planning meeting is meant to discuss with key stakeholders so that we can come out with recommendations that will be included in our next strategic plan. We have already done regional consultations with TAC members and district chiefs among others with the objectives of getting their inputs in the next strategic plan. We want to work with more communities in the beneficiary countries,” he posited.
Ndey Marie Njie, permanent secretary at the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Welfare, said: “Tostan is a key partner of the ministry. They are indeed complementing the efforts of the ministry in our quest for nation building. All hands must be on the deck so that we can achieve the objectives of the country.”
“Tostan is a project that has transformed the lives of many Gambians. They are implementing lots of programmes in the two regions of the country, especially addressing gender issues,” says Mariyan Jabang, the director of Gender and Women Empowerment.
The National Coordinator of Tostan International in Guinea Bissau, Yusuf Sane, said: “Tostan International values the collaboration that Tostan Gambia continues to receive from the ministry and other key players. In fact, the achievements that the NGO registered in the country are what they are trying to implement in other beneficiary countries.”
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