Page 46 - EducationWorld August 2022

Cover Story

Ram Karan (centre): women empowerment precondition Lilawati Devi (right): internationally acclaimed

BC is Ram K aran, a class VIII drop- Likewise, the extraordinary evolu-
L
out who was admitted into BC as stu- tion of il awat i D e v i G u jjar, a class
dent-volunteer in 1975. While special- III dropout who signed up with BC as
ising as a water engineer, moved by a student-volunteer in 2003, is an
the pathetically subordinate status of indicator of the dormant potential of
rural women obliged to work at home rural Bharat’s women citizens if they
and on farms as under-paid labour, he are provided minimal education and
set about organising women’s rights opportunity. Over the past three de-
groups. The result: a verdict from the cades, Lilawati Devi has transformed
S
Supreme Court in 1981 ( anj it R oy into an internationally acclaimed so-
vs. G overnment of R aj asthan) com- lar engineer who heads the college’s
pelling the state government’s PWD unique transnational Solar Mamas
(public works department) to pay project.
Under this unprecedented skilling
women equal wages. initiative begun in the millennium
“ TODAY IN 68 VILLAGES Kalawati Devi: outspoken & unafraid year 2000, grandmothers (“they are

certain to return to their villages after
around Tilonia women are
asserting their equality and
African, Asian and South American
working as solar fabrica- owed in 1993 with two girl children to training”) from 96 under-developed
raise, she enrolled as a volunteer with
tors, mechanics, water engineers and BC in that year. countries are provided six months in-
architects. They are fully involved in “Three decades ago the status of tensive training on the BC campus in
developing traditional rural technol- women in villages was pitiable. All of Tilonia to qualify as solar engineers.
ogies. It’s very important for urban us were in ghunghat (head covering) Their airfare and modest pocket
government officials and people to and dared not express our opinion on money is paid by the Union ministry
understand that unless women, re- any subject. Today we are confident of external affairs. Thus far over 1,700
gardless of education background are and outspoken and unafraid to voice solar mamas have returned to 1,500
encouraged and empowered, prosper- our complaints about discrimina- villages, and have electrified 75,000
ity cannot come to rural India,” says tion and domestic abuse in our vil- homes around the world. Also a mas-
Ram Karan, a commerce graduate of lage p anc hay ats. Most women have ter tailor who teaches tailoring when
Rajasthan University and a member of abandoned ghunghat and in villages not tutoring solar mamas, Lilawati
BC Management Committee. around Tilonia it is common to witness Devi has travelled (“alone”) to Zanzi-
Barefoot College’s positive impact women working as solar and water en- bar and Fiji to teach her craft and has
on status of women in village Raj- gineers and teaching in night schools. addressed rural development confer-
asthan — one of India’s most socio- Bunkerji has totally transformed the ences in Germany and France.
economically backward states (annual lives of women in the Ajmer district “I am very thankful that I was given
c
per capita income Rs.115,000 f. Goa: by empowering and encouraging us to the opportunity to train 1,708 women
Rs.422,149) — is exemplified by K a- assert our rights. My hope is that this from around the world to light up
l awat i D e v i, who assists Ram Karan movement will spread and empower their homes and spread the women’s
in BC’s women’s empowerment mis- all women across the country,” says empowerment philosophy of Barefoot
sion. Schooled until class V and wid- Kalawati Devi College which has completely changed

46 EDUCATIONWORLD AUGUST 2022