Speaking to journalists in Basse during a recent visit by ChildFund officials who are currently touring the country and visiting project intervention sites, Keita stated that the issue of confrontation between couples has now become a thing of the past.
He said now women have been more empowered and responsible, fostering greater engagement with their partners.
Through their support, he said, many communities have opted to forgo the entrenched cultural and traditional practices known as Female Genital Cutting/Mutilation and child marriage, resulting in a notable reduction in domestic violence, including instances of wife battering.
The NGO is widely recognised as the leading grassroots organisation, which he said, has profoundly changed the lives and livelihoods of those it serves.
“Over the years, numerous communities involved in their interventions have publicly abandoned Female Genital Cutting (FGC) and other harmful practices after completing a comprehensive three-year Community Empowerment Program (CEP). Additionally, some of these beneficiary communities have engaged in conflict resolution, among other initiatives.”
Like many organisations and institutions, Tostan is implementing the ChildFund funding project, specifically the ‘Seed Fund and the Community Development Fund’.
“The Seed funds were dedicated to empowering organisations engaged in media and social mobilization efforts, disseminating information to bolster community awareness about the health complications and consequences of Gender-Based Violence (GBV). This initiative addresses deeply rooted cultural and traditional practices, such as Female Genital Cutting/Mutilation and child marriage, as well as other economic and social factors that significantly impact the lives of women and girls in The Gambia,” the Tostan boss stated.
“In the communities where we operate, we've established community management committees dedicated to sustainability, which we have also trained. These committees collaborate closely with Village Development Committees (VDC), as well as women's and youth groups. Thanks to the knowledge they've acquired, these groups now confidently involve their representatives and even regional governors in discussions regarding their strategies and initiatives,” he stated.
Keita recalled that in 2024, they entered into a Memorandum of Understanding with ChildFund and various other partners, securing two funding streams from ChildFund, one of which is the 'Seed Fund.'
Through this collaboration, he said, they actively engaged in extensive sensitisation efforts with district chiefs, alkalolu and both traditional and religious leaders across the Upper River and Central River Regions.
“Over 500 individuals participated at the decentralized level to ensure comprehensive engagement. This effort aimed to foster a unified understanding among all parties involved and to clarify the legal framework surrounding practices that affect Gambian women and girls. We emphasize the importance of the law in safeguarding them against violence, discrimination, and harmful traditional practices. These engagements were successfully conducted with the invaluable support of ChildFund,” he stated.
"Additionally, as part of our program, we produce a series of radio broadcast approximately 48 designed to empower communities that are champions of social mobilization, as we participated in our CEP, grasped the information and messaging, and disseminated these radio programs to our fellow women and youth groups through the use of media."
In addition to the Seed Fund, he said they’re also implementing the Community Development Fund, designed to enhance their ongoing programs.
The initiative, he said, unites all the communities in which they operate, fostering the exchange of ideas, new knowledge, and information about various activities.
“Notably, these collaborative efforts have been successful in both CRR North and South. Despite encountering some religious resistance, our approach is making significant strides in transforming the mindsets of rural residents.”
“I can confidently state that the support from ChildFund was instrumental in enhancing our programs last year, as they backed the majority of our key initiatives, and the positive effects on the beneficiaries cannot be overstated."
Aja Fatoumatta Jabbi, from Kuntaur Jakaba in the Central River Region north, highlighted the extraordinary efforts of the Tostan social mobilisation team and their significant impact in both the Upper River and Central River Regions.
"Our project involves engaging with local communities to raise awareness about the dangers and health complications associated with harmful practices such as female genital cutting and child marriage. I am pleased to share that, due to the impactful intervention of Tostan, instances of child and forced marriage, once prevalent in this region, have significantly declined."
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