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About the Organization

The Barefoot College is a community-based grassroots organization founded by Sanjit ‘Bunker’ Roy working from Tilonia, Rajasthan since 1972 on the Gandhian concept of reaching the last person. It was established to harness the skills and intelligence of rural people and ‘specialists’ people with degrees and formal professional competence, to work together to empower local communities. The Barefoot College aimed to specifically address the issues concerning marginalized communities and individuals, including women, the exploited and the impoverished rural poor living on less than $3/day. The work took shape in practical domains like water, education, solar, health, advocacy, environment, communications and rural livelihoods including handicrafts. Barefoot has also sought to enable marginalized rural communities to participate in planning, executing, and maintaining their own frameworks for development. These processes have provided the opportunity to the rural poor to lift themselves out of relative poverty with dignity and self- respect. The Barefoot College discussed, defined and consolidated the non-negotiables within its body politic (equality, collective decision-making, decentralization, self-reliance, austerity and openness to learning skills). Barefoot College has been a place where sustainable ideas and the practical knowledge of the poor have been put into practice through work in education and skill development. This work has, in turn, resulted in large-scale impact in access to drinking water, rainwater harvesting, solar electrification, non- formal education, health, conservation, women’s empowerment and culture. Barefoot has effectively demonstrated the potential of giving the rural poor an opportunity and support to develop self-sufficiency by drawing upon a combination of traditional knowledge (symbolized by “barefoot”) and demystified modern skills

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Poor villagers' skills and resourcefulness are often overlooked as potential drivers of community development.

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Barefoot College trains illiterate villagers to build and maintain systems such as solar electricity, water and sanitation, schools, and clinics.

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“Barefoot” teachers, doctors, health workers, business owners, and service workers improve their own lives and those of their communities.

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More than 80 communities in seven countries benefit.

Ambition for Change

Barefoot College has been working towards sustainable development for over 50 years, and our mission is to empower marginalized communities and individuals by providing them the skills and knowledge they need to take control of their own futures. To further advance its mission, here are some ambitious goals: 1. Expansion of Barefoot College’s reach: We aim to expand our programmes in the areas of water, solar, education, health, livelihoods and environment by establishing partnerships with local organizations, governments, and philanthropic entities to provide our services to many more communities and more people in need. 2. Advancement of technology: Barefoot will continue the efforts to demystify technology to develop affordable, efficient and sustainable solutions. 3. Advocacy and policy reform: Barefoot College has been a strong advocate for policy reforms that support sustainable development and the needs of rural communities and shall continue to do so by lobbying governments, partnering with international organizations.

Path to Scale

Barefoot College is committed to making a sustainable and positive impact on the communities it serves, by working in a collaborative and systemic approach. The organization partners with civil society, communities, governments, private sector, and multilateral organizations to drive localized sustainability, policy change, and comprehensive positive impact in various thematic areas driving positive change. In the process, we build the capacity of the community and develop sustainable and knowledge frameworks to create a long-lasting impact

Skoll Awardee

As a young post-graduate student from a privileged urban background, Bunker Roy volunteered to spend the summer working with famine affected people in Bihar, one of India’s poorest states. This experience changed him. He committed himself to fight poverty and inequality. He founded the Barefoot College in Tilonia (also known as Social Work and Research Centre) in 1972 to bridge the inequality gap and demystify technology with the people and put it to good use in the hands of poor communities. This radically simple approach to ending poverty, by tapping the wisdom, skills, and resourcefulness of the poor themselves, is less expensive and more successful than approaches that rely on external experts. Barefoot College recruits illiterate villagers and trains them to build and maintain life-changing technologies and systems such as solar electricity, water and sanitation, schools and clinics, artisan businesses, and community engagement.

Impact & Accomplishments
'1985 The Jamnalal Bajaj Award for Outstanding Contribution in Application of Science and Technology for Rural Development 1997-98 Save the Drylands Award for combating desertification by UNEP 2000 Nuclear-Free Future Solutions Award 2001 AGFUND Prize Laureate 2002 The Stockholm Challenge Award for Information Technology (Environment) 2002 The Tech Museum for Innovation Benefiting Humanity - The NASDAQ Stock Market Award for Education 2002 Schwab Foundation for Outstanding Social Entrepreneurs 2003 Ashden Award for Sustainable Energy 2003 St. Andrews Prize for the Environment 2004 Tyler Prize for Environmental Achievement 2005 Skoll Award for Social Entrepreneurship 2006 The Rio Tinto Alcan Prize for Sustainability 2007 L-RAMP Lifetime Achievement Award 2008 The Guardian identified Bunker Roy as one of the 50 Environmentalists in the world who could save the planet 2009 CondéNast Traveler Environmental Award 2009 Winner of the Special Prize of the first Water for All Competition: Institute for France, SUEZ Environment - Water for All Foundation 2009 Robert Hill Award at the 24th European Photovoltaic Solar Energy Conference and Exhibition (EU PVSEC), Hamburg 2009 The Sierra Club Green Energy Award USA 2010 TIME 100 Most Influential People in the World 2010 Green Fighters 100 Eco-Lifestyle Magazine 2011 Social Entrepreneur of the Year - The Asian Awards 2011 Blue Planet Prize (The Asahi Glass Foundation) 2011 Giraffe Hero - Giraffe Heroes Project 2012 The IDFA Oxfam Novib Global Justice Award 2012 Hilton LightStay Sustainability Award 2012 Qimpro Award for Education (Platinum) 2013 The Peabody Award 2013 Clinton Global Citizens Award 2013 ‘Humanity for Water’ Award, New York 2013 CNN IBN Real Heroes Lifetime Achievement Award 2015 IMC Juran Quality Medal 2014 2015 Times of India (TOI) Social Impact Award (SIA) 2017 Premios Latino América Verde 2017 Social Entrepreneur of 2016 - Business Standard Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Awards 2017 The Sat Paul Mittal Award for outstanding service to humanity 2017 Honorable Degree of Doctor of Laws - Princeton University 2017 Distinguished Educationist Honor - Rocheston Accreditation Institute 2017 4-Way Test Man of the Year Award 2017 2017 ILEA Leadership Energy Award, Kuala Lumpur 2018 Distinguished Contribution in Environmental Management in Africa - AUDA NEPAD 2018 The Earth Care Award 2020 Rajasthan Social Innovation Award, Jaipur 2021 Dr. Thomas Cangan Social Leadership Award - Institute of Rural Management, SIIRM 2021 Best Non-Profit Engagement Model in Sanitation - ISC - FICCI 2023 Fellow at City & Guild Institute
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