by Aimee Molloy
I was with Molly when she presented this new module to staff during a retreat held at the Tostan Training Center outside Thiès. The information was enthusiastically received by staff members—many of whom admitted that they had avoided talking too much to their babies on the advice of their own parents. That evening, as we left the seminar and drove to the beach house, I asked Molly what she expects will come of this new module. She was silent for a while, eventually pulling to a stop in front of a local bakery. She’d been there earlier that morning to buy bread but had forgotten to bring her wallet, and she ran in to pay. When she returned to the car, she was serious.
“I truly believe this new module has the potential to spark a revolution in learning for young children in Senegal,” she said.
There’s no shortage of people who agree that Tostan’s efforts can continue to have a significant and lasting impact on African communities, bringing about generational change in just a few years. As Jim Greenbaum, a longtime Tostan supporter and board member, told me, “Tostan is the only organization I’ve found that can do it all. Want to end FGC? Tostan can do that. Want to stop war? Tostan can do that too. It may sound strange to say, but if Tostan is remembered in the history books only for the end of FGC, it will be a tragedy. If we were to get the support needed to take this model to thousands more communities, this is a model that can transform Africa.”
WHEN I MET MOLLY, I didn’t know just how personal this work would become, but while writing this book, I discovered I was pregnant, with a girl. While I know that my daughter will, thankfully, never have to face many of the hardships women in rural Africa confront on a day-to-day basis, I also know that Molly’s work is making a better world for girls everywhere. During a visit to Los Angeles, I accompanied Molly to a talk she gave before a women’s group. After Molly’s presentation, a woman raised her hand with a question. “This sounds crazy,” she said, “but can you bring the Tostan program here? Women in America—and our girls, especially—could really benefit from what you have done in Senegal. I know that you get a lot of attention for helping to end FGC, but what you’ve really done is help women realize their full potential. We could use some of that here.”
I thought about this during my last trip to Senegal, at twenty-eight weeks pregnant. Molly and I spent the day in the village of Malicounda Bambara, and I was introduced to a girl of fourteen. Her mother was pregnant with her in 1997, when the women of her village declared an end to FGC in their community, and she was the first girl born into a world where cutting was no longer expected.
“What’s your name?” I asked the girl, after she shyly approached to shake my hand.
“Aminata San-San,” she said.
Molly smiled. “San-San is the word for human rights,” she said. “They named her Aminata human rights.”
Later that afternoon, as we drove out of the village and back toward Molly’s beach house, Molly popped in the Sam Cooke CD we’d been listening to incessantly the past few days. The song “A Change Is Gonna Come” began—a song released in 1964 that became an anthem of sorts for the civil rights movement in the United States. Just as she had done every other time this song played, Molly stopped talking, turned up the volume nearly as high as it could go, and sang along.
It’s been a long, a long time coming
But I know a change is gonna come. Oh yes it will.
Listening to these words, I thought of Aminata San-San and of the future of my own daughter, knowing that despite the fact that they would never meet and that they would grow up with very different experiences, both their lives would benefit from what Molly has accomplished, from her contributions to the world. Molly turned the car down the main road that led to the Atlantic Ocean. In front of us the sun was setting, nearly equal with the horizon, and for a moment, it seemed as if she were steering us straight into the sun.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
I am indebted to many people for their help with this book, but none more than Molly. She took time away from running Tostan to spend weeks talking to me, traveling with me, introducing me to the people and culture of Senegal, answering my questions, and serving as a wonderful host—all while being a true inspiration and real joy. I’ll always feel particularly grateful for the fact that she trusted me with her story.
I’d also like to thank Jeff Skoll, Mark Tauber, Sally Osberg, and Sandy Herz for trusting me to be a part of the first book published in partnership with HarperCollins and the Skoll Foundation. My editor, Jeanette Perez, helped make this book as good as the story behind it and was always a calm, supportive, and discerning voice. Thanks to my agent, Kris Dahl at ICM, for continuing to support me in this work.
Very special thanks to Diane Gillespie. She spent countless hours providing background information, expert editing, and wonderful insight every step of the way. For their help with reading the manuscript, and the time they put into this project, I’d like to thank Gail Kaneb and Gannon Gillespie. Anna Zoé Williams was not only a great translator, but she’s just so lovely and a real joy to be around.
Demba Diawara spent many hours with me, and it was a true privilege to get to know a man like him. Ourèye Sall and the women of the Malicounda Bambara Tostan class were such an inspiration to me, and I’d like to particularly thank Kerthio Diawara and her mother, Maimouna Traore, who passed away during the writing of this book.
Thanks to all the members of the Tostan staff and family, especially Khalidou Sy, Dame Guéye, Ibrahima Giroux, Jennifer Balde, Marième Diop, Baye Samba Diop, and Cheikh Seydil Moctar Mbacké.
Jim Greenbaum helped me put the story into context and was a wonderful, charming host on many occasions. Gerry Mackie provided valuable insight and background material. Caty Gordon was an astute and skilled researcher, and Hayley Downs and Lisa Selin Davis were kind enough to lend their editing expertise and overall support. Thanks to Judy Miller for answering my questions, sending me boxes of information, and providing a home in Los Angeles. Special thanks to tess Ulrich. Thanks also to Ndeye Soukeye Guéye, Anne Charlotte Ringquist, Nafissatou Diop, Francesca Moneti, Mike Gillespie, Ann Veneman, Maria Gabriella De Vita, Samir Sobhy, Jeremy Hopkins, Christian Schneider, Claudia Berger, Duusu Konaté, Cheikh Diop, Michael Carolan, Carrie Dailey, Connie Jean Amirah, and Lois Mackinney.
Giving birth to a child three months prior to finishing a book is not easy and wouldn’t have been possible without the help of Team Noelle, especially John and Judy Molloy and Sharanah Drakes, who occupied my daughter while I wrote in the other room. Extra special thanks to my parents, Bob and Moira Krum, Mark and Megan Molloy, Chris Ryan, Bill Ryan, and Jeanne Lightfoot for their general support. And of course, none of this would be possible or worthwhile if it weren’t for my husband, Mark Ryan—my constant support, closest friend, and most trusted adviser, who manages to make everything so much better. And finally, to our daughter, Noelle Molloy Ryan, who reminds me each day why it’s so important to tell stories like this one and who was kind enough to sleep through most nights so that her mom could write.
Photographic Insert
Molly (right), with her sister, Diane, and mother, Ann.
Courtesy of Molly Melching
Molly in Senegal in 1976 with children from the Démb ak Tey Center, where she used elements of traditional African culture to teach out-of-school children in their native Wolof language.
Courtesy of Molly Melching
Molly with Bollé Mbaye and village chief Alaaji Mustaafa Njaay in 1984.
Courtesy of Molly Melching
Molly, pregnant with Zoé, with women in Saam Njaay in 1985. This village is where Molly first developed the classes that would become the Tostan Community Empowerment Program.
Courtesy of Molly Melching
Molly with Cheikh Anta Diop, her mentor and the man who introduced her to the meaning of the word “tostan.”
© Diane Gillespie
Molly’s friend, Ousmane Sembène, in the study at his home in Yoff in 1982. Like Cheikh Anta Diop, he was a leading a
dvocate for designating Wolof the official language of Senegal and greatly influenced Molly’s work.
Courtesy of Molly Melching
Ourèye Sall, a former traditional cutter who now works with Tostan to promote FGC abandonment in Senegal.
© Jim Greenbaum
Maimouna Traore (left), Ourèye Sall (center), and Demba Diawara receiving an award from the president of Senegal for their work with Tostan in ending FGC.
Courtesy of Molly Melching
The visit of the women from Malicounda Bambara to Keur Simbara in 1997, an event that encouraged Molly to continue Tostan’s work on ending FGC.
Courtesy of Molly Melching
Then President Bill Clinton and First Lady Hillary Rodham Clinton at a meeting in Dakar with Molly and leaders of the movement to end female genital cutting in Senegal.
Courtesy of the White House
Poetry, dance, song, and theater help Tostan participants understand and share new information.
© Jim Greenbaum
Demba Diawara, imam and village chief, is a major leader of the movement to abandon FGC in West Africa.
© Jim Greenbaum
A public declaration where hundreds of villages announced the abandonment of FGC and child/forced marriage.
© Sydney Skov
Participants at a declaration hold signs showing the villages they represent.
© Niina Pitkänen
Women, men, girls, and boys participate in Tostan classes in rural villages in many African countries. Classes focus on many subjects including democracy, human rights, problem solving, health, literacy, and project management.
© Jennie Balde
Participants learn how to read and write using SMS texting with cell phones.
© Myriam Dems
Molly and her daughter, Zoé, in 2004.
Courtesy of Molly Melching
Molly visits the women of the Tostan class in Arabsiyo, Somaliland, in 2008. She congratulates Shamsi, one of the leaders of the movement to end FGC in Somaliland.
© Tostan
Participants during a Tostan session.
© Jim Greenbaum
Kerthio Diawara during her visit to the United States where she spoke at USAID about ending FGC in Senegal.
© Tostan
Tostan participant Marième Bamba studied six months at the Barefoot College in India and became a solar engineer, installing fifty solar units in her village, Soudiane.
© Jim Greenbaum
Ninety-five percent of Tostan participants are Muslim. Traditional and religious leaders have been actively involved in creating Tostan sessions.
© Jim Greenbaum
(Left to right) Ourèye Sall, Molly, and Demba Diawara at a publication declaration on the island of Niodior. Representatives from twenty-seven other island villages canoed to Niodior to participate in the April 2000 declaration to end FGC and child/forced marriage.
Courtesy of Molly Melching
Villagers at the declaration.
Courtesy of Molly Melching
Women in Somaliland discuss the human right to vote and be elected. Four women from the class decided to run for elected office in 2008 with a platform based on human rights.
© Tostan
Dior, the coordinator of the Community Management Committee, explains monthly revenue and expenses to other members.
© Jessica Brandi Lifland
Tostan’s philosophy comes from a core understanding that African women love their daughters and want them to succeed. That is why they practiced FGC and why they are now abandoning it.
© Jim Greenbaum
(Above and the next image) Molly celebrates with the women of Malicounda Bambara at festivities honoring the tenth anniversary of their decision to abandon FGC in 1997.
© Tostan
© Tostan
About the Author
AIMEE MOLLOY has collaborated on seven books, including with Newsweek journalist Maziar Bahari on Then They Came for Me: A Family’s Story of Love, Captivity, and Survival and with Pam Cope on Jantsen’s Gift: A True Story of Grief, Rescue, and Grace. She holds a bachelor’s degree from Duke University and a master’s degree from New York University. She lives in Brooklyn, New York, with her husband and daughter.
Visit www.AuthorTracker.com for exclusive information on your favorite HarperCollins authors.
Also by Aimee Molloy
Then They Came for Me: A Family’s Story of Love,
Captivity, and Survival with Maziar Bahari
Jantsen’s Gift: A True Story of Grief, Rescue, and Grace with Pam Cope
For God and Country: Faith and Patriotism Under Fire with James Yee
Credits
Cover design: laura beers design
Front cover photograph © micheldenijs
Copyright
The names and identifying details of certain individuals have been changed to protect their privacy.
HOWEVER LONG THE NIGHT: Molly Melching’s Journey to Help Millions of African Women and Girls Triumph. Copyright © 2013 by Aimee Molloy and Molly Melching. All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. By payment of the required fees, you have been granted the nonexclusive, nontransferable right to access and read the text of this ebook on-screen. No part of this text may be reproduced, transmitted, downloaded, decompiled, reverse-engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereinafter invented, without the express written permission of HarperCollins ebooks.
HarperCollins website: http://www.harpercollins.com
HarperCollins®, ®, and HarperOne™ are trademarks of HarperCollins Publishers
FIRST EDITION
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Molloy, Aimee.
However long the night: Molly Melching’s journey to help millions of African women and girls triumph / Aimee Molloy. —First Edition.
pages cm
ISBN 978-0-06-213276-5
EPUB Edition APRIL 2013 ISBN 9780062132802
1. Female circumcision—Africa—Prevention. 2. Human rights—Africa.
3. Human rights workers—Africa. 4. Tostan (Organization : Senegal)
5. Non-governmental organizations—Africa. 6. Community education—Africa.
7. Melching, Molly. I. Title.
GN645.M578 2013
392.1096—dc23 2012048654
13 14 15 16 17 RRD(H) 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
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