Barefoot College operates in 1.300 villages in 80 countries worldwide. The organization’s mission is to empower rural communities putting self-sufficient and sustainable tools in the hands of the rural poor. The main project, Solar Mamas, teaches women, many of them illiterate, to install and maintain solar panels in their own communities as a way of bringing electricity to their homes. The participants go through a six-months long training that prepares them to know how to install, read, and repair the panels once they’re back home.
In the four decades since it started its programs, Barefoot College worked with individuals from 96 countries, brought access to light to 1.000.000 people, and replaced 500 million litres of kerosine with clean energy for light, heat and cooking.
Barefoot College listens to people and designs the solutions around their needs. Another program, night school, also fueled by solar energy, educates children from rural communities during the night. These children work during the day in order to support their families and miss on conventional school. Barefoot College ensures they get the education they need when their responsibilities allow them.
This video is one of the episodes in the documentary series WATT IF – Energies for climate created by Olivier, makesense reporter, in partnership with EDF.
makesense is a global organization that inspires and empowers citizens, entrepreneurs, and organizations to build an inclusive and sustainable society together. Energies for Climate is a global campaign aiming to accelerate the transition towards low-carbon and accessible energy for everyone.
Follow Barefoot College at https://www.barefootcollege.org/
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