ACT1 Shadowing a hero, Bunker Roy

The College takes men, women and children who are illiterate and semi-literate from the lowest castes, and from the most remote and inaccessible villages in India, and trains them at their own pace to become "barefoot" water and solar engineers, architects, teachers, communicators, pathologists, midwives, IT workers, accountants, and marketing managers. Once trained, these villagers work within their own communities, thus making them less dependent on "outside" skills.

The philosophy of Mahatma Gandhi is reflected in the work style and lifestyle of the College. Everyone eats, sleeps and works on the floor. No one can receive more than $100 per month. Traditional knowledge, village skills and practical wisdom are given greater respect than paper qualifications, and reading and writing are not seen as essential. "Just because someone cannot read or write does not mean he or she is uneducated," Roy points out.

The College's achievements are staggering. Its barefoot engineers have provided solar powered lighting to over 136 virtually inaccessible Himalayan villages; over 15,000 children have been educated at Barefoot College night schools; and thirteen villages and 15,000 people now benefit from community piped water supply systems, designed, planned and implemented entirely by the local people.