# Tostan wins $1.5 million Hilton Humanitarian Prize

- Link: https://fundraising.co.uk/2007/08/13/tostan-wins-15-million-hilton-humanitarian-prize/
- Published: 2007-08-13T23:00:00+01:00
- Author: Howard Lake

**Tostan, a human rights NGO that works in nine African countries, has won the world’s
largest humanitarian prize for its work to alleviate human suffering. The organisation
was selected for its work in empowering communities throughout Africa to transform
their lives through an innovative non-formal educational program, teaching in local
languages and with African oral traditions.**

Steven M. Hilton, President and CEO of the Hilton Foundation, said: “Tostan means‘
breakthrough’ in the Senegalese Wolof language and our distinguished independent
prize jury found that the organisation has indeed achieved major breakthroughs, 
empowering women and improving the lives of millions of people in nine African countries.

“Through Tostan’s Community Empowerment Program, villages have reduced infant and
maternal mortality, ended domestic violence, improved community health services 
and nutrition, and provided education for their children. Micro-credit, environmental
and income generating projects have mobilized communities to work together to improve
their lives.”

## Advertisement

 [⌊Posthub advert. You create the campaign. We'll handle the postal journey. Get started at post-hub.co.uk.⌉](https://fundraising.co.uk/ads/posthub-20261007-300x250/)

Tostan was set up in 1991 by Molly Melching, who remains its Executive Director.
On winning the award, she said: “This recognition really belongs to the thousands
of women, men and youth whose respect for human rights has led to improved health,
education and economic security for their people. In what we call organised social
diffusion, the more than 160,000 who have taken Tostan’s classes have multiplied
the impact of their education tenfold by sharing what they have learned with all
the neighboring villages within their own ethnic groups.”

Tostan was one of nearly 250 nominees for the 2007 Hilton Prize. An international
jury makes the final selection following extensive examination of the nominees, 
including field visits to sites around the world.

Previous prize recipients have included Women for Women International (USA); Partners
in Health (USA); Heifer International (USA) 2004; International Rehabilitation Center
for Torture Victims (Denmark); and SOS Children’s Villages (Austria).