Barefoot College Zanzibar

Provide education and promote sustainable solutions in East Africa.

Barefoot College Zanzibar has been placing women at the heart of bringing light to their communities, creating a place of learning, discovery and transformation for rural women living on less than $1,20 a day, most of whom never accessed formal education. A centre where indigenous wisdom and skills are celebrated and valued. Believing that access to light enables all development. Committed to catalysing transformation of poor rural communities, able to sustain and manage their own initiatives into the future, creating stronger civil society, better educational outcomes for their children and sustainable economic independence for women.
As of 2016, 24 rural women have been trained on solar engineering, beekeeping, sewing, financial inclusion, digital skills, nutrition and reproductive health.
Thanks to them, 450 households were solar electrified, to provide access to clean and reliable energy to 2700 people on the island.
All this has been made possible with the generous support of :
- The Revolutionary Government of Zanzibar
- UNWOMEN
- UNDP Small Grants Program of GEF
- Milele Foundation Zanzibar
- Frey Charitable Foundation Switzerland
- The Coca Cola Foundation & The Coca Cola Bottlers of Africa
- The Clinton Global Initiative
- Giving Women, Geneva