Barefoot College

Hello, we are Barefoot College. While that is the name we are best known by, our official name is the Social Work and Research Centre, or SWRC. We were founded in 1972 by a man named Sanjit ‘Bunker’ Roy, who chose to establish us in the small village of Tilonia, located in the state of Rajasthan, India. From our very beginning, our purpose has been to work with rural communities and empower them to solve their own challenges. We believe that the knowledge and skills needed to improve life already exist within these communities; our role is simply to help people recognize and develop that potential.

Our work is deeply inspired by the ideas of Mahatma Gandhi, a historic leader in India who championed the idea of self-reliance. Following his philosophy, we focus on finding simple, practical, and sustainable solutions that can be managed by local people. Instead of bringing in complicated technology or outside experts who will eventually leave, we help communities address fundamental challenges themselves. These challenges include gaining access to essential resources that many people take for granted, such as clean water to drink and reliable electricity for light.

Perhaps our most famous program is the one that trains women, many of whom are grandmothers, to become skilled solar engineers. We call these remarkable women our ‘Solar Mamas.’ They travel to our campus in India from rural and remote villages all across the globe, from Asia and Africa to Latin America. For many of these women, it is the first time they have ever left their homes, let alone traveled to another country. A large number of them have never had the chance to attend a formal school and may not know how to read or write.

That is why our training methods are unique. For six months, the women participate in an intensive, hands-on program where they learn everything they need to know to build, install, repair, and maintain solar lighting systems for their villages. We do not use textbooks or complicated diagrams. Instead, our entire curriculum is taught using visual aids, such as pictures and color-coded guides. Every part and every wire is color-coded, allowing the trainees to learn by memory and practice. This approach proves that literacy is not a barrier to learning complex technical skills.

When the Solar Mamas complete their training and return home, they bring more than just new skills—they bring light. For many of their villages, the solar-powered systems they install provide the first reliable source of electricity the community has ever had. The impact of this light is transformative. It replaces smoky and dangerous kerosene lamps, which are a fire hazard and cause health problems. With clean light in their homes, children can study and read long after the sun has set, improving their educational opportunities. The solar lanterns also illuminate streets and public spaces, making them safer for everyone at night.

Beyond these community-wide benefits, the program profoundly empowers the women themselves. By becoming the local solar engineer, a Solar Mama gains immense respect and a new, valued role in her community. She earns a steady income for maintaining the solar equipment, giving her financial independence. This transformation challenges traditional ideas about what women, especially older women with no formal education, are capable of achieving. They become leaders, entrepreneurs, and role models for a new generation.

While the Solar Mamas program is well known, our work is much broader. We believe in a holistic approach to community development, which means addressing many interconnected needs at once. For example, access to clean water is a critical issue in many dry regions. To solve this, we help communities build large-scale rainwater harvesting systems, which collect and store precious monsoon rains to provide a safe drinking water source for the entire year. This simple, ancient technique reduces illness and saves people, mostly women and girls, from walking many hours each day to fetch water.

Education is another one of our core pillars. We recognized that many children in rural areas have to work during the day to help their families, so they cannot attend regular classes. To ensure they don’t miss out on learning, we established Barefoot Night Schools. These schools operate in the evening, allowing working children the flexibility to get an education. We also understand the importance of preserving local culture and wisdom. We actively support local artisans, helping them continue their traditional crafts. Furthermore, we use art forms like puppetry—a popular and trusted form of entertainment in Rajasthan—to share vital information about health, sanitation, and education in a way that is engaging and easily understood by everyone.

Today, the model we developed in the village of Tilonia has spread far beyond India. We have trained people, including thousands of Solar Mamas, from more than 90 countries around the world. These individuals have taken our sustainable solutions back to their communities, bringing light and opportunity to millions of people. Our mission remains exactly as it was when we began in 1972. We continue to work to demonstrate a simple but powerful truth: the solutions to the problems faced by rural communities can almost always be found within those communities themselves, powered by their own incredible wisdom, resilience, and strength.