Barefoot College

Hello! We are Barefoot College. That’s the name most people know us by, but our official name is the Social Work and Research Centre. Our story began in 1972 in a small village in India called Tilonia. A man named Bunker Roy started our organization because he had an important idea. He wanted to help people living in rural villages learn new skills. With these skills, they could make their own communities better places to live for everyone.

Our big idea is that every single person has useful knowledge and skills, even if they have never been to a formal school. We believe that the people who live in a village know the most about their own problems. Because of this, we think the best solutions can be found right there in the village. We don't bring in experts from far away. Instead, we teach practical skills that people can use every day. We show them how to build things their community needs and how to fix things when they break. This way, people can solve their own problems without having to leave their homes to find help.

One of our most important jobs is training women to become solar engineers. We invite grandmothers from villages all over the world to come to our college and learn. Many of these women have never been to a school before, but they are eager to learn. We call them our 'Solar Mamas.' They learn how to build solar panels, how to install them on houses, and how to repair them if something goes wrong. When these amazing grandmothers go back to their homes, they bring light to their entire village. For the first time, children have light to study by at night. The light also makes the whole village safer for everyone after the sun goes down.

While we are famous for our Solar Mamas, we do much more than just work with light. Our work is about helping communities in many different ways. We help villages get access to clean, safe drinking water, which is very important for staying healthy. We also run special schools for children who aren't able to attend a regular school during the day. This gives them a chance to learn, too. We also help people learn different crafts, like weaving or pottery. By making and selling these crafts, they can earn money to support their families and improve their lives.

Today, our work has spread far beyond the first village in India. We have now trained people from more than 90 countries all across the world. From Africa to South America, our ideas have helped people feel strong and capable. We continue to share our belief that with a little bit of training and a little bit of confidence, anyone can be a teacher, a producer, and a problem-solver for their own community. We know that the power to make the world better is inside everyone.