For more than thirty years,the Barefoot College has been working to improve the quality of life of the rural poor. Our efforts focus on basic needs: water, health, education, energy, environmental regeneration and gainful employment building on existing skills, while enrolling individuals in the processes that govern their lives.

The Barefoot College and the individuals who work with it have established a code of conduct for our organisation. We believe we must:

• Live and work in close proximity with the rural community.
• Create a space for creative and constructive personal growth - not
  discriminating against caste, religion or political thinking.
• Ensure gender equality within the organisation.
• Have an intrinsic belief in the democratic political process and not follow
  partisan political agendas or include partisan politicians on the board.
• Judge the worth of people by their willingness and ability to learn - not by their
  paper qualifications.
• Believe in the law of the land and have a commitment towards social justice
  through non-violent means.
• Have respect for collective, traditional knowledge, beliefs, wisdom and
  practices of the community.
• Be committed to the preservation of natural resources and not endorse
  processes that destroy, exploit or abuse natural resources.
• Use appropriate technologies that sustain the community and not encourage
  technologies that deprive people of their livelihoods.
• Set a personal example in adhering to the code of conduct.
  

Social Work and Research Centre
Tilonia, Rajasthan, India