The Barefoot College Project

Lack of application of traditional wisdom and low cost innovations in rural livelihhoods;
Erosion of natural resources - lack of rural community self reliance and sufficiency;
High level of illiteracy;
Poor health facilities;

The solution

Demystifying technology and knowledge to increase access to rural people;
Reclamation of wastelands with trees and pasture;
Provision of safe drinking water ;
Generation of employment through training and upgrading skills;
Establishment of solar electrification in schools and remote villages;
Establish pre-primary and night schools in villages;
Establishment of a women’s group for awareness on rights;

The project achievements

Provision of quality water for human and livestock - 1,317 hand pumps, 184 underground storage tanks, piped water in six districts, deepening of 175 ponds;
Effective training, installation and use of solar energy units for night schools and for lighting homes;
Promotion of literacy - establishment of 83 night schools and 48 day schools;
Establishment of Village Education Committees;
Over 3,000 school children exposed to environmental awareness through the school curriculum;
Poverty alleviation - job creation for close to 7,000 people including youth, women, technicians and artisans;
Provision of new markets for rural women and artisans;
Income generated from sales of fodder and fuelwood from reclaimed wastelands.

The overall achievements

The project has made notable holistic achievements in human resource development involving all age groups, and social sectors of the community;
Use of rain water for irrigation, the recharging of ground water has had positive impacts in desalinization and environment protection;
The project’s water, solar, lighting and night school programmes replicated at National Government level;
Women’s Pressure and Lobbying Group succesfully fought for minimum wage rise (0.2 to 0.8US$) for all work without gender discrimination.

This project was implemented by the Barefoot College, Tilonia, and the local communities with funds from foreign sources and the Central Government Departments, India

Success Stories: Asia Pacific