Molly Melching, Executive Director of Tostan, shares a personal interview on TakePark.com, citing a couple key dates in her life.

The first came in 1974 when Molly Melching, 24, landed in Dakar, Senegal to begin a six-month course studying African literature. Melching missed an important telegram from Dakar, telling her not to get on the plane, because the course was cancelled.

Obviously, Melching stayed in Africa.