Feminism in Practice: Learning from the Barefoot Solar Mamas

Title

Feminism in Practice: Learning from the Barefoot Solar Mamas

Creator

Shaikh N.P.

Description

The Barefoot College (India) is an NGO working in the fields of education, skills development, health, drinking water, and solar power mainly to train older, rural women who are determined to challenge restrictive gender roles in their respective communities. Since its inception, the NGO has trained over 2,000 rural women as solar engineers across 93 countries worldwide and has brought electricity to over 18,000 homes. Barefoot trainers employ non-normative methods of sharing knowledge such as color coding, sign language, and practical experience. This paper conducts a critical assessment of the Barefoot College Solar Electrification Programme to explore how it empowers illiterate and semi-literate women from remote rural areas around the world to become solar engineers (or Solar Mamas). It utilizes qualitative research methods to analyze this women's empowerment project as a landmark practical application of decolonial feminist theory. The paper contends that the Barefoot approach both challenges and conforms to the Women in Development and Gender and Development approaches of the past. The research is grounded methodologically in feminist praxis and also borrows from the conceptual frameworks of Feminist Political Ecology and Women and the Politics of Place. Stories and personal experiences from Solar Mamas have been highlighted to understand the real world impact of the program. The main findings indicate that the Barefoot College's innovative approach to empower marginalized communities and educate older women is achieved through decentralizing control and demystifying technology. (2024), (Bridgewater State College). All Rights Reserved.

Source

Journal of International Women's Studies, Vol-26, No. 3

Date

2024-01-01

Publisher

Bridgewater State College

Subject

Barefoot College (NGO); Decolonial feminism; Older women; Rural women; Solar engineering; Solar power; Women's development; Women's empowerment

Coverage

Shaikh N.P., Christ (deemed to be) University, Bangalore, India

Rights

Restricted Access

Relation

ISSN: 15398706

Format

Online

Language

English

Type

Article

Identifier

https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-85195449324&partnerID=40&md5=924a2b95cdf40e28b5e01e7b4d40b137