Learning & Re-Learning. The Barefoot College: Meagan Fallone at TEDxLivermore

"We have to talk about 'innovation to augment humanity'" says Meagan Fallone of the Barefoot College. The Barefoot College was founded in 1972 in the deserts of Rajasthan, India, building on the beliefs and teachings of Mahatma Ghandi. Six years ago, they began the Barefoot Solar Engineers program. Training 650 women in 52 countries so far, Barefoot College brings women to India for 6 months to train them to be solar engineers. In this program, Meagan Fallone joins the women of remote villages, learning with them - what their challenges are and what tools they'll need to rise to those challenges. Courageous women, often grandmothers, volunteer to join the program, with little to no idea of where they're going or what they'll be doing. Their determination to augment the quality of life for their villages and their families calls them to put their hand in the air to volunteer, to risk, to step up to the unknown. THAT kind of risk is where systemic change is born.

Barefoot College itself took a look at its own fast-growth process and challenges. They realized they had a responsibility to face their discomfort, so they could continue igniting the learning process for themselves and their solar grandmothers. They found that technology in the developing world is usually something that happens by accident - as overflow from the developed countries. They bucked that trend and proto-typed the Barefoot Tablet, a communications device to be used by their barefoot solar engineer graduates to provide technical support, a community of practice, and even literacy development.

Meagan Fallone champions the power of women as agents of sustainable change and poverty reduction. Working alongside Barefoot College's Founder, Bunker Roy, Meagan coordinates the International Women's Barefoot Solar Engineering program in more than 52 countries. Barefoot College introduces and demystifies modern technologies to meet basic human needs: Drinking water (rainwater harvesting), Basic lighting (solar electrification), Livelihood development (handicrafts, health communications) and Education (Rural Solar Night Schools). Born in New Zealand, Meagan is a mother of 3 and a passionate mountaineer; she lives between Switzerland, Tanzania and India.

Learn more about Barefoot College at www.barefootcollege.org/‎.

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