The Social Work and Research Center ( SWRC ), better known as Barefoot College [1] (from the English for “barefoot college”) is an Indian company and a volunteer organization working in the fields of education, health, drinking water and solar energy the rural population of the world's poorest countries [2] .
| Barefoot College | |
|---|---|
| Base | 1972 |
| Founders | Bunker Roy |
| Location | Tilonia , Rajasthan , India |
| Site | barefootcollege.org |
Content
History
After receiving a prestigious education in 1967, a native of the elite Bunker family, Roy unexpectedly left for a remote Indian village, deciding to start building wells for the inhabitants of the poorest provinces [3] [4] .
After conducting a survey of water sources in a hundred drought-prone areas, in 1972 in Tilonia ( eng. Tilonia ), among the Indian deserts of Rajasthan , Bunker Roy founded The Social Work and Research Center ( SWRC ), which eventually became known as Barefoot College (with English " College for barefoot ") [5] [4] [6] [7] [2] .
Soon, the company's mission changed, and the main focus was on irrigating villages to solving problems in rural communities, with the goal of making them self-sufficient and sustainable [5] [4] . The company engaged in training people living in this area, the professions of doctors, teachers, engineers, designers, architects and dentists [5] [4] .
In the UN report, as an example of the success of Barefoot College , an example is given that in 20 years college graduates were able to electrify a total of 36,000 houses in 1024 villages in 30 least developed countries with solar energy [3] . At the same time, 300 illiterate rural grandmothers from different countries, who acquired the necessary engineering skills using only sign language, did this [3] .
In 2012, Barefoot College became the first UNESCO partner in an education program for girls and women ( eng. Global Partnership for Girls' and Women's Education [8] .
College
The college campus is located on 8 acres, built and managed by the poor of India, who earn less than $ 1 a day [9] [3] [10] .
The buildings have minimal amenities, earth floor and lack of beds, in order to make “poor students more comfortable” [9] .
It is the only college in rural India that runs entirely on solar energy [7] .
The principles of college are largely based on the philosophy of Mahatma Gandhi [3] [7] . For example, this is an educational institution, where the teacher is at the same time a student, and a student is a teacher [3] .
The emphasis in training in the “barefoot college” is placed on the transfer of practical knowledge and labor skills [3] .
The college trains teachers, doctors, midwives, dentists, health workers, solar energy engineers, water well drillers, telephone operators, blacksmiths, carpenters, computer literacy teachers, accountants and many other practical specialties that can be useful in rural areas and be useful to communities [7] .
The main focus at Barefoot College is on solar energy [7] . The college annually trains about 100 grandmothers from India and 80 from other least developed countries of the world (mainly in Africa and Asia) who are able to electrify their villages after graduation [7] .
Barefoot College does not issue certificates of acquired education, considering that the graduate himself must prove to the community that he has professional knowledge and skills [3] .
The college also launched a program of evening schools for working people [11] . In 2008, 3,000 people attended 150 evening schools, the majority being girls [12] [13] .
Finance
Barefoot College is funded by donations. According to the founder of the Bunker Roy company: “we get some money from the Indian government, also from the Dutch and French foundations and private family foundations. We receive a little money for the services we provide to the country ” [4] .
Awards and prizes
The approach and results of the work of Barefoot College have been recognized worldwide and have been awarded with a number of awards by international foundations and organizations, including the Blue Planet Award (2011) [3] .
Barefoot College returned an architecture award ( Aga Khan Award for Architecture ) to a nominating organization that questioned the values and sincerity of the college [14] .
In 2012, the film Barefoot College was filmed "Solar Moms" ( born Solar Mamas ) [7] .
Notes
- ↑ The Barefoot College in Tilonia, 1997, Author: Sanjit (Bunker) Roy, Publisher: Indira Gandhi National Center for the Arts, New Delhi
- ↑ 1 2 Sarita Brara . Lead kindly light , The Hindu (30 October 2012). The appeal date is November 23, 2012.
- 2 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Sanjit 'Bunker' Roy (Eng.) . UN. The appeal date is April 29, 2015.
- ↑ 1 2 3 4 5 Florian Godovitz. Interview. What our universities forgot to teach . The Epoch Times (October 2, 2009). The appeal date is April 29, 2015.
- ↑ 1 2 3 John, Mary. Children's Rights and Power: Charging Up for a New Century . - Jessica Kingsley Publishers, 2003. - P. 232–. - ISBN 9781853026584 .
- ↑ Elkington, John. Hellflegins, Pamela Hartigan. - Harvard Business Press, 1 February 2008. - P. 52–. - ISBN 9781422104064 .
- ↑ 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Barefoot College (English) . Skoll Foundation (2005). The appeal date is April 29, 2015.
- ↑ India's Barefoot College and Universities . United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization. The appeal date is November 23, 2012.
- 2 1 2 Mortenson, Greg. (April 29, 2010) Sanjit 'Bunker' Roy The 2010 TIME 100 . TIME. Retrieved on June 2, 2012.
- Ain Jain, Sonu Tilonia's Barefoot campus, now the bare facts . The Indian Express (July 1, 2002). Circulation date July 27, 2010. Archived July 27, 2010.
- ↑ Osler, Audrey. Citizenship and Democracy in Schools: Diversity, Identity, Equality . - Trentham Books, 2000. - P. 170–. - ISBN 9781858562223 .
- ↑ Elkington, John,. Hellflegins, Pamela Hartigan. - Harvard Business Press, 1 February 2008. - P. 52–. - ISBN 9781422104064 .
- ↑ Fred de Sam Lazaro . Teaches Women to Improve Lives, Towns , PBS (6 October 2008). The appeal date is November 18, 2012.
- ↑ Swiss award for Bunker Roy , The Hindu (22 September 2002). The appeal date is November 23, 2012.
Links
- Official website: barefootcollege.org .
- Lecture on TED: Learning from a barefoot movement ( profile ).
- A film about Barefoot College: Solar Mamas .
- Interview with the creator of Barefoot College Bunker Roy : Florian Godowitz. Interview. What our universities forgot to teach . The Epoch Times (October 2, 2009). The appeal date is April 29, 2015.
- Alexander Lukanina College of Barefoot // № 10, March 18, 2015, Kopek.