Girls Education

A young Rajasthani girl attends the festival for International Women's Day.

Girls especially benefit from the Barefoot College's development programs. Nearly 70% of rural children in India do not have time to go to school during the day. They work collecting drinking water, fetching firewood, or tending animals and other essential domestic work for their families.

The Barefoot College began Night Schools for these children in 1975 to provide an education that draws on the knowledge of the community. Literate young men and women in the community were selected and trained for 6 months to become Barefoot Teachers.

By improving the learning environment of the night schools, by providing drinking water through rain water harvesting, or by providing solar lighting instead of kerosene lamps, and giving a sense of security, mothers started to send their girls to school for the first time.

Since 1975, over 50,000 children have studied at these Night Schools -- and the concept of the Night Schools has been replicated in other states in India.

Join the children at Night School >

The schools are administered by the Village Education Committees. Each Committee has an average membership of 15-30 villagers including 5-10 women. The Committees have their bank accounts at the nearest rural bank. Two of its members along with one member from the College staff operate bank accounts. The Committees are responsible for day-to-day administration of the 250 night schools, purchase of teaching/learning material, repairs and maintenance of night school buildings and disbursement of honorariums to night school teachers.

The Children's Parliament controls and supervises the night schools. It is based on the belief that giving power to the people who have a vested interest in the school is the best way of ensuring its success -- as well as making the children aware of political structure and processes.

The Children's Parliament since its inception in 1993, has had five terms of office. The Parliament has elected representatives from night schools, situated in four districts of Rajasthan, covering a geographical outspread of 700-800 square kilometres, from semi-arid to the desert regions.

Most of the Prime Ministers have been girls, simply because more girls attend the Night Schools than boys.


Meet Bhagchand Dev, one of the former Prime Ministers of the Children's Parliament >

Bhagchand Dev, Women of Tilonia
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Friends of Tilonia

Friends of Tilonia, Inc. is a US-based, tax-exempt 501(c)3 non-profit organization which partners with the Barefoot College and its charitable affiliates in rural India and around the world.

You can help support the Barefoot College by making a donation to Friends of Tilonia, Inc. Your contribution helps to support sustainable development programs in rural India. You may provide general support or select the type of program you would like to support.

Thank you. We appreciate your generous contribution.


Create Employment for Rural Artisans
Create Employment for Rural Artisans

Through sales on Tilonia.com, artisans enterprises in rural India earn a greater price for their products than through traditional sales channels.

Your gift will help to create livelihoods for rural artisans. With the income they earn, rural artisans are better able to support their families and education their children.

FOT_100$100.00
Educate a Child
Educate a Child

Poor children in rural communities in India work during the day tending animals and collecting water. To educate these children, the Barefoot College has established over 250 night schools.

Your gift will send one child to school for one year. Instruction in the Night Schools is informal and focused on practical knowledge. Since most children tend cattle, they learn animal husbandry along with reading and math. They are provided with booklets which they take with them while tending cattle during the day.

BC_NS$100.00
Provide Clean Drinking Water
Provide Clean Drinking Water

Poor rural children have to fetch water on a daily basis for daily household needs. By providing a source of clean drinking water at schools, more girls attend school.

Your gift will provide clean drinking water to children in school by helping communities buy materials for construction of rainwater harvesting systems.

BC_RWH$100.00
Solar Electrify Rural Homes
Solar Electrify Rural Homes


The success of the "Barefoot" approach is based on community commitment. Before solar electrification of the village, the whole village must agree to pay a monthly contribution for the repair and maintenance of the solar power, and to select two semi-literate or illiterate women from the community to be trained as a Barefoot Solar Engineers.

Your gift will help to help provide solar power to rural communities.

BC_Solar$100.00
Become a Friend of Tilonia
Become a Friend of Tilonia

Friends of Tilonia, Inc. is a US-based, tax-exempt, 501(c)3 non-profit organization helping to support social enterprises that create livelihoods and economic opportunities in rural communities in India.

Your contributions are tax deductible in the US and your contribution helps to support sustainable development in rural India.

FOT75$75.00
Become a Friend of Tilonia

Become a Friend of Tilonia FOT50$50.00
Become a Friend of Tilonia

Become a Friend of Tilonia FOT25$25.00