Page 78 - EducationWorld October 2020

Special Report

Barefoot College International, Tilonia

n alumna of University College, suming processed
ALondon and Harvard University, and dangerously
New Zealand-born MEAGAN FAL- sugared foods grown
LONE was appointed CEO of Barefoot with harmful chemi-
College International (BCI, estb.1972) cal fertilisers and
in 2011. Excerpts from an interview: genetically modified
seeds. Crops are
Although it has received little official failing, pests are out
recognition in India, BCI has a global of control, our water
reputation. What in your opinion are its systems are not
major achievements? being regenerated
Fifty years ago, two young urban edu- or conserved and
cated youth, Bunker and Aruna Roy, climate change will
joined forces with rural-born and continue to throw
raised team members, whose wisdom up one crisis after
did not come from books but from another.
the land, their traditions and practi- Meagan Fallone (left): Gandhian principles commitment Currently at
cal experience, to promote the Social Barefoot College
Work and Research Centre (SWRC, programme we have developed that International, we are working to
estb.1972, now known as BCI). I’m takes illiterate and semi-literate build a technology platform that will
sure they never imagined this venture rural women on a transformational surround illiterate and semi-literate
would become a global movement journey, developing technical mastery farmers — men and women — with
which has improved the lives of in renewable energy combined with learning and financial support
more than a million people and over eight additional skill modules: finan- capability to absorb and share best
80,000 adolescents and children cial literacy, digital literacy, environ- practices and connect with accessible
worldwide. mental stewardship, women’s health marketplaces. Our teams work with
In the decade past, BCI has trans- & nutrition, micro enterprise skill the Apple Developer Academy at the
formed into a hybrid social innova- development, sustainable secondary Federico II University in Naples, Italy
tion organisation that leverages the livelihoods, rights-based awareness and our partnership with Pioneer-
sustainability and strategic thinking and aspiration/agency development. ing Ventures, an extraordinary
of a ‘social enterprise’. Today we This is a programme co-created by Indian-Swiss international agri-foods
are three distinct entities: SWRC, a a multicultural team working simul- company whose mission is to cre-
registered society; Barefoot College taneously across several countries in ate regenerative value for farmers,
International, a s.8 not-for-profit collaboration with local and national consumers and the planet, is setting
company and our artisans enterprise governments including India’s Union the base for this initiative. We will be
Hatheli Sansthan. ministry of external affairs, private working to co-create and collaborate
This organisational model has sector companies, private foundations with India’s finest civil society organ-
been designed by an extraordinary and dozens of other NGOs and social isations, farmer producer groups,
team. Together we have successfully enterprises. For women engaged in state and national governments as
scaled our programmes in 11 Indian micro enterprises, passing through well as academic and technology part-
states and 93 developing countries. the Enriche Women Prosper curricu- ners. Additionally, Barefoot College
Yet in India, we are widely referred to lum increases their annual earnings International is working on develop-
as an NGO, a label that’s not applica- by up to 25 percent. ing a high tech dairy farming cur-
ble any more. While SWRC continues The past ten years have been a riculum for young people, designed to
its deep commitment to Gandhian catalytic decade for BCI. The strength produce high quality dairy products.
principles, Barefoot College Interna- of Bunker Roy and my own effort to-
tional has added to that same set of gether with the SWRC and BCI teams Any other comment?
ideals a larger vision. in Tilonia and around the world has Rabindranath Tagore repeatedly said
been an extraordinary period of in- the heart of India lay in its villages,
How satisfied are you with the growth and novation and growth for the organ- and that no real progress is possible
development of BCI? isation, and sets it up for the next 50 without the development of agri-
This month (September), BCI was years of service. culture and alleviation of poverty in
conferred the prestigious Wise Prize the rural hinterland. I often wonder
for Education Innovation of the Qatar What needs to be done to revive Indian what he would have chosen as the
Foundation. In a departure from agriculture to make this country an agri- best solution to integrate technology
past practice of awarding children’s culture superpower? to create a new order “where tireless
education programmes, this year Children around the developing world striving stretches its arms towards
the Wise Prize has been awarded to are not thriving because they are not perfection, where the clear stream of
Enriche Women Prosper, a holistic eating right, or enough. They are con- reason has not lost its way….”

78 EDUCATIONWORLD OCTOBER 2020