Molly Melching
Founder and Creative Director
Tostan
Molly Melching, founder of the international NGO Tostan in 1991, has dedicated her life’s work to empowering youth and adult education in Senegal since 1974. Under her guidance, Tostan has introduced an innovative, three-year program in over 3,000 rural African communities focusing on democracy, human rights, health, early childhood development, literacy, and economic empowerment. This initiative has propelled more than 20,000 rural women into leadership roles and inspired over 9,000 communities across eight African countries to commit to abandoning harmful traditional practices for the promotion of well-being.
Molly and Tostan have been globally recognized for their impactful work, receiving accolades such as the Conrad N. Hilton Humanitarian Prize, the Skoll Award for Social Entrepreneurship, the Thomas J. Dodd Prize in International Justice and Human Rights, the Anna Lindh Human Rights Award, and UNESCO’s King Sejong Literacy Prize. Their inspiring journey is detailed in Aimee Molloy’s New York Times best-selling book, However Long the Night, and featured in Melinda French Gates's Moment of Lift, and Hillary and Chelsea Clinton’s The Book of Gutsy Women.
In acknowledgment of her contributions, Molly was bestowed the title of “Chevalière de l’Ordre National du Lion” by the Government of Senegal, one of the highest honors signifying her impactful role in societal change and development in the region.