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Students of Barefoot College don’t need to know how to read or write to get accepted, nor do they get diplomas upon graduation. Instead, they get something much greater: a real chance for economic and professional self-sufficiency which would otherwise most probably elude them.
Established in 1972, this unique institution of learning is intent on improving the lives of the rural poor by providing them with skills and the opportunity to become specially trained in a myriad of fields. Barefoot College offers people with no educational background a pathway into a real profession, to become dentists, solar engineers, artisans, teachers and midwives.
Guided by the vision and philosophy of Mahatma Gandhi, equality reigns at Barefoot College and each person is treated in the same manner, regardless of class, education, caste or gender. To drive the point home, everyone eats together in the same dining hall, are eligible for any staff position and no one makes more than $150 a month.
The completely solar powered college focuses on the areas of water, education, energy and health, building on the already existing knowledge of the students. Based in India, Barefoot College has extended its reach to Sierra Leone with the same goal of giving the underprivileged the tools to lead a self-sufficient, dignified and sustainable life. [Source: Barefoot College]
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