Women are at the heart of everything we do at Barefoot College. We are an organisation that champions the unerring spirit, potential, and power that women have when they are given the tools and skills they need to thrive.
It comes as no surprise, therefore, that for her work with Barefoot College our global Director Meagan Fallone has been celebrated as a ‘Dangerous Woman’ in Pat Mitchell’s new book, BECOMING A DANGEROUS WOMAN: Embracing Risk to Change the World.
The book, written by the winner of 37 Emmy awards and five Peabodys for her work in journalism, not only offers insight into the fascinating career and life of the author, but interviews ‘dangerous women’ including our very own Meagan Fallone, alongside film director Ava DuVernay; journalist Christiane Amanpour, Democratic leader Stacey Abrams, activist and scholar Kimberlé Crenshaw and former President of Ireland Mary Robinson, amongst many others.
These are the women who, in Pat Mitchell’s view, are changing the world by being ‘dangerous’ – a term that she reclaims with enthusiasm.
At Barefoot College, we believe in ‘dangerous women’ too. Whether it’s our Solar Mamas who risk traveling across the world to train as Barefoot Solar Engineers in our training centres, returning to electrify their communities; the women working tirelessly in our Zanzibar centre making reusable sanitary pads to help fight global period poverty; or our team members working to facilitate all of our programs, ‘dangerous women’ are what drives Barefoot College forward every day.
It is only by investing in women that you can give them the power and determination to be the ‘dangerous’ force they need to be to get things done. We certainly didn’t put women at the heart of our organisation and programs by accident.
The women of Barefoot College aren’t afraid of a fight, no matter how big or how (seemingly) small it may be. From striving for global change in political policy, working to improve the climate crisis and fighting for gender equality, to improving the everyday struggles of people in poor, rural villages, they are making the world a fairer place one ‘dangerous’ move at a time.
We have proven beyond all doubt, that if you invest in individual women, regardless of education, literacy or social standing, they are the ones who will effect real change in their communities.
It is ‘dangerous women’ who, through our Solar program, have gone on to electrify the homes of more than 1.1 million people in the poorest parts of the world; it is ‘dangerous women’ who are running and growing Barefoot College’s social enterprises, set up as part of our Enriche program; and it is ‘dangerous women’ who are educating women and girls in the poorest communities about sexual and reproductive health.
These are just some of the things that Barefoot College and its ‘dangerous women’ are achieving today. Imagine what we might do tomorrow.
Help us to foster more dangerous women around the world, by donating to our cause today.
