Barefoot College celebrated a momentous graduation ceremony, where 26 determined women from Rajasthan’s Barmer district, representing villages like Dhanau, Saavan, Talsar, Sarpetala, and Meethdaau, successfully completed an intensive two-month solar training program. Supported by SIDBI(Small Industries Development Bank of India). this program aimed to empower these women as Barefoot Solar Engineers while equipping them with essential entrepreneurial skills.
Their mission? To bring solar lighting to 300 homes in their villages, addressing the issue of electricity access in rural areas. Beyond technical proficiency, they received comprehensive entrepreneurship training, including micro-enterprise skills, marketing, financial literacy, digital competence, banking, and business strategies.
This holistic approach also covered crucial life skills like menstrual hygiene, reproductive health, environmental stewardship, waste management, and water and sanitation. These women have not only become skilled solar engineers but also positive agents of change within their communities.
Having completed the program, these graduates are now ready to illuminate 300 homes in their villages with solar energy and establish group enterprises through Self-Help Groups (SHGs) to promote solar products, contributing significantly to their communities’ economic development.
This achievement underscores the commitment of these women and Barefoot College to empower communities through education and skill development, creating lasting impact.
