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Approach
Mahatma Gandhi’s central belief was that the knowledge, skills and wisdom
found in villages should be used for development before getting skills from outside.
He also believed that sophisticated technology should be used in rural India, but
it should be in the hands and in control of the poor communities so that they are not
dependent or exploited as it leads to replacement- Barefoot College has internalized
and implemented this message of Gandhi’s since its inception.
The Barefoot College has been pioneering solar electrification in rural, remote,
non-electrified villages, since 1989. The College has demystified solar technology
and is decentralizing its application by making it available to poor and neglected communities.
By ‘demystification’ of solar technology and ‘decentralisation’ of its application, we mean placing
the fabrication, installation, usage, repair and maintenance of sophisticated solar lighting units
in the hands of rural, illiterate and semi-literate men and women .
The Barefoot College believes and has demonstrated that educational qualifications are not
needed by people with rural or poor backgrounds to acquire skills that can be of service
to their community. In fact, the existence of theoretical paper-based qualifications have
been usually found to be a deterrent to development as those that have them tend to come for
work or training with mental blocks and superficial expertise.
The methodology applied for rural solar electrification is unique to the Barefoot College.
Only villages that are inaccessible, remote and non-electrified are considered for solar
electrification. In the initial meeting, members of the community are told about solar
lighting and its benefits. If villagers express the need and wish for solar lighting then
a Village Environment Energy Committee (VEEC) is formed. This committee consists of the village
elders, both men and women. The VEEC consults with the entire village community and identifies
households which are interested in acquiring eco-friendly solar lighting units. Every family
that wants to obtain solar lighting must pay an affordable contribution every month, irrespective
of how poor they are. This is so that even the poorest of the poor can feel a sense of ownership
towards their unit and take care of it.
As part of the decentralization and demystification process, the College essentially trains
a few members of the community to be ‘Barefoot Solar Engineers’ (BSEs), who will install, repair
and maintain solar lighting units for a period of five years at least, as well as set up a
‘Rural Electronic Workshop’ where components and equipment needed for the repair and maintenance
of solar units will be stored.
The village must agree, in writing, to build or donate a building for the Rural Electronic Workshop (REW),
select Barefoot solar engineers and allow them to go to India for six months of training, as well as
identify the individuals who will be responsible for punctually collecting the monthly household fee.
This way the entire rural community can take part in solar electrification and control and manage it together.
While a percentage of the total contribution pays for a monthly stipend to every BSE, the rest covers
the costs of components and spare parts like CFL tubes used during repair. The batteries used in solar
lighting units need to be replaced every five to ten years. Households that wish to replace their battery
through the organization need to pay an amount which will be collectively deposited in a bank as a fixed
deposit, where it will gain interest for five to ten years. Once the fixed deposit matures the amount is
used to buy new batteries. However, if this amount falls short for the purchase of all the batteries needed
then the villagers need to pay the balance amount.
The process of solar electrification is not undertaken till the villagers, who have expressed a desire
for solar lighting, agree to pay or collect the nominal monthly fee, to select Barefoot solar engineers
for training, as well as to arrange for an REW, in writing. Barefoot College implements this to initiate
and ensure complete participation on behalf of the rural community. Therefore, this community managed,
controlled and owned approach is innovative and can be replicated in far corners of the world.
Note: The monthly fee to be paid by each electrified household is determined by how much each family
spends on kerosene, candles, torch batteries and wood for lighting every month. The VEEC is responsible
for making sure that the Barefoot solar engineers install, repair and maintain all the solar units properly
and are paid their stipend on time.
Selection and role of Barefoot solar engineers (BSEs)
Barefoot solar engineering is an employment opportunity for the poorest of poor members in a rural
community. It generates an additional source of income for those who do not ‘qualify’ even for the
lowest government job. The College motivates the communities to give this opportunity especially to
middle-aged women, such as those who are widows and single mothers with families. It persuades them to
choose people who have their roots in the village and will stay and work there for its development rather
than migrate to the city soon after training. By being solar engineers they receive an additional source
of income as well as continue to be involved with their family and craft, agriculture, animal husbandry
and other income generating activities.
If the village is a small and clustered one with about 50 houses, then only one BSE is selected for training.
However, if the houses are far from each other or more in number, two or more BSEs are selected.
BSEs are collectively and transparently selected by the whole village community. Everyone in the village
should be aware of who has been selected. The BSE’s family, the committee and all the members of the community
have to allow the trainees to travel to India where they will be trained for six months at the Barefoot College.
BSEs are trained to understand and identify basic electrical terms, components and equipment.
They learn to assemble and fabricate circuits and solar lanterns, solar lamps, charge controllers, choke
coils and transformers, and learn to correctly connect modules, batteries, lamps and charge controllers.
Barefoot College strives to make every trainee capable enough to confidently and independently install, test,
repair and maintain fixed solar lighting units, solar lanterns, as well as an REW.
At the end of six months the trainees pass out as Barefoot Solar engineers. As per prior agreements,
the ‘graduates’ go back to their respective villages and electrify the households with solar lighting
units and assume the responsibility of repair and maintenance for a minimum of 5 years. Barefoot solar
engineers play a key role in sustaining and replicating solar technology in rural communities.
Role of a Rural Electronic Workshop (REW)
REW is a facility set up for Barefoot solar engineers in their villages where they can easily
carry out testing, maintenance, repair and production work. An REW acts as a mini-power plant
that produces 320W per hour therefore it can also be used by the community for educational or
social activities like watching television. REWs are important for sustaining solar electrifications
in remote rural communities.
A Rural Electronic Workshop comprises of 4 SPV modules (12V, 80W each) with a stand, 1 Charge controller
(12V, 40Amp), 1 Inverter (12V, 800VA) and 4 tubular batteries (12V, 75AH each) along with 4mm positive
and negative wires and 16mm connectors. Among equipment, 1 digital dual power supply (0 to 30V DC 2Amp),
1 assembly jig, 2 soldering irons with stand, solder wire and spare bits, 1 extension board, 1 personal
tool kit for each BSE and spare printed circuit boards and components for repair and production.
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