What if Africa paved the way towards global wellbeing? Reflections from the Wellbeing Summit Dakar - Thiès 2023
The Regional Wellbeing Summit, hosted by Tostan from 29th November to 1st December 2023, brought together over 180 participants from across the continent to reflect on the meaning of wellbeing from an African perspective.
This article was written in partnership with Girls Not Brides member Tostan. Read more about the Wellbeing Summit here on their website.
About the Summit
The Wellbeing Summit Dakar – Thiès 2023, hosted by Tostan, was a unique and transformative gathering which took place in November and December last year. The event is part of the global movement of Regional Wellbeing Summits initiated by The Wellbeing Project, with the aim of focusing on holistic wellbeing for those at the centre of social change initiatives.
The three-day Summit brought together more than 180 participants, including over 50 youth representatives and 72 speakers from over 20 African countries, to discuss and reflect on a wide range of issues. Topics included youth and mental health, intergenerational trauma, social norms and community wellbeing, approaches to organisational wellbeing, the environment and sustainability, the role of the private sector, women-led movements, and systems change in Africa.
Through painting, dancing, music and creativity, participants were inspired to reflect on the meaning of individual, collective and planetary wellbeing from an African perspective. The Summit created spaces for listening, sharing and contemplation, and participants dreamt about ‘the Africa we want to see’.
Elena Bonometti, Executive Director of Tostan, said:
“This gathering in Africa, hosted by Tostan, is the first of its kind and a testament to the importance of emphasising the African perspective on Wellbeing in line with African values and identity. At Tostan, we recognise that Wellbeing encompasses various facets, including materialism and the environment. However, our experience highlights relationships as the most critical aspect. We believe that by coming together, facilitating connections, and sharing our collective wisdom, we can foster lasting positive change in our communities.”
Elena Bonometti, Executive Director of Tostan
Reflections from Girls Not Brides members
Girls Not Brides sponsored two individuals from member organisations to attend the Summit. Matar Toure from Save the Children International and Magdaline Majuma from Msichana Empowerment Kuria share their reflections here:
"These three days were a great opportunity to share ideas on wellbeing in all its dimensions. The various panels and activities we took part in made us realise that painting, dance and music remain symbolic languages that can help us to go deeper into our emotions and continue our journey towards improving our mental health.
“It was a real pleasure to take part in this summit which, over and above its scientific dimension, was a great opportunity to meet new people, in particular young people with whom we share the same aspirations for a better world where wellbeing will be at the centre of policies, both at the level of individual states and on a global scale."
Matar Toure – Save the Children International, Senegal Country Office
“My take home was around the importance of organisations centering communities in the work they do for smooth transition, accountability and sustainability. It's also important to understand the immediate needs of the community as we look forward to long-term innovation. Grassroots organisations having unrestricted funds enables them to pre plan and quickly respond to emerging issues.”
Magdaline Majuma – Msichana Empowerment Kuria, Kenya
Watch this short film (available in French only) to learn more about the Summit and hear the experiences of those who participated.
In the time it has taken to read this article 32 girls under the age of 18 have been married
Each year, 12 million girls are married before the age of 18
That is 23 girls every minute
Nearly 1 every 2 seconds