Get Involved

Woman-Led Change

Barefoot College International puts skills and technology in the hands of marginalised women who become entrepreneurs, train others, and live sustainably.

We are Barefoot College International USA 


At Barefoot College International-USA, we believe in the potential of relevant social enterprise models to empower remote, marginalized communities. we believe social and climate justice are possible- and inevitable- when we strive for it together. We exist realize our beliefs by empowering women and girls from the most marginalized communities around the world.

Margarita Brito

Location: Batzumal

"I never saw myself as a leader. I was shy and unsure of how to speak up. But through the ENRICH training, I learned about women’s rights and the importance of our voices in the community. Now, I feel more confident to participate, share what I’ve learned, and support other women.”

Barefoot College International (BCI) is a global NGO that equips rurally remote communities with the tools and knowledge they need to become self-sufficient in clean energy, educational and economic resource access.

BCI does this by training women with the support of their communities as Solar Engineers, Educators and Entrepreneurs, and then equips them to fully solar electrify their communities, and to implement educational and economic uplift programs.

Our solar solutions combat climate change. Women and children are most affected by the negative aspects of climate change, and communities living in rurally remote poverty are often prevented from taking control of their development by their reliance on costly, environmentally harmful fossil fuels that also impact human health.

BCI’s programs are delivered through Regional Training Centres and their staff, on both a local and regional scale, and operate in nearly 100 countries worldwide.

At BCI we excel at transforming the lives of our beneficiaries for good, and our programs address 15 of the 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

We have more than a decade of experience implementing our uniquely fast, innovative upskilling model.

Visit Barefoot College International

Our Mission

Barefoot College International has harnessed the power of women to create lasting change globally since 2015. With the goal of increasing resilience and adaptability in the face of climate change, our programs have the capacity to foster resilience in communities that are the most vulnerable. Our solar, livelihood and ENRICH initiatives support the prosperity, opportunity and innovation that is innate in all women. With roots in India, Barefoot College International has now operated in nearly 90+ countries worldwide and has trained thousands of rural and indigenous women.

In alignment with the McKinsey study, we recognize the opportunity for women and girls to be the solution the world has been looking for. Often overlooked, their untapped potential is a boundless resource that lies at the center of all the work we do.

Our Approach​

Energy access is the foundation for health, education, economic mobility, and community resilience. BCI tackles interlinked barriers to prosperity by combining:

• Reliable, self-sufficient clean energy access
• Education that enables communities to convert energy into development
• Vocational, financial and entrepreneurial training that accelerates long-term self-sufficiency
• Community-driven engagement, where women are selected and supported by their own villages
• Local and international partnerships that make programs sustainable and scalable

Our Approach: Solar

BCI’s approach ensures communities gain not just electricity, but the skills, confidence, and agency to drive their own development. We engage our beneficiares through this proven process:

Step 1

Selection

Women are selected for training with the full support of their communities. Each project is supported by a local ground partner and one or more international partners. 

Step 2

Training

Full Solar Engineering training takes place residentially for 3 months at the nearest BCI Regional Training Center. ENRICH is taught parallel to Solar Engineering so they can leverage clean energy into developmental growth.

Step 3

Installation

Women graduate and return home, where BCI fully equips them with all tools and solar parts for electrification. This takes 1-2 months and accounts for 50 homes electrified per Solar Engineer.

Step 4

Growth

Self-sufficient resource control means that BCI programs have an unparalleled long-term success rate. 

Our Approach: ENRICH

ENRICH is designed to empower marginalized individuals, especially women and youth by building the confidence, knowledge, and practical skills needed to unlock their potential, improve their lives, and lead positive change in their communities. ENRICH training is integrated into all BCI programs, including Solar Engineering and livelihood training, and is also offered independently as a stand-alone program when needed.

Leadership Skills

Social Equity

Financial Literacy

Health & Wellness

Digital Skills

Sustainable Living

Entrepreneurship Skills

Manu Singh

Global Lead, Life Skills ENRICH

When individuals feel safe, seen, and valued, they begin to unlock their true potential. My ambition for the Life Skills (ENRICH) program is to nurture that inner shift- to create spaces where mindset becomes the starting point for economic empowerment, climate consciousness, leadership, and social change that lasts for generations. To guide people from self-doubt to self-agency, from silence to Leadership.

Regional Centers: Training Aspirations Into Reality

Brenda Geofrey

Country Director, BCI-Zanzibar

“At Barefoot College Zanzibar, innovation fuels our impact. From training women as solar engineers to launching sustainable enterprises in sewing, beekeeping and regenerative agriculture we are creating income pathways and transforming rural communities.
With support from the Apple Academy, we have introduced educational mobile apps expanding access to knowledge across East Africa. This past year has been a journey of purpose, progress and powerful partnerships.”

Ny Sanda

Executive Director, BCI-Madagascar

“We took the time to truly listen to the women living around our training center: to observe their daily lives and understand their priorities. While continuing our mission to reach rural women in some of Madagascar’s most remote areas, we strengthened our field presence. These encounters gave deeper meaning to our work: a mission built with the communities themselves, now guiding our next strategic directions.”

Brenda Geofrey

Country Director, BCI-Zanzibar

“At Barefoot College Zanzibar, innovation fuels our impact. From training women as solar engineers to launching sustainable enterprises in sewing, beekeeping and regenerative agriculture we are creating income pathways and transforming rural communities.
With support from the Apple Academy, we have introduced educational mobile apps expanding access to knowledge across East Africa. This past year has been a journey of purpose, progress and powerful partnerships.”

Ny Sanda

Executive Director, BCI-Madagascar

“We took the time to truly listen to the women living around our training center: to observe their daily lives and understand their priorities. While continuing our mission to reach rural women in some of Madagascar’s most remote areas, we strengthened our field presence. These encounters gave deeper meaning to our work: a mission built with the communities themselves, now guiding our next strategic directions.”

Our Organization

BCI’s organizational structure relies on highly effective, decentralized and vertically integrated architecture.

All fundraising and funds are handled by BCI USA (501c3), BCI UK (Registered Charity) and BCI Switzerland (Registered Swiss Association) guaranteeing maximum tax efficiency for donors, and therefore maximum value for money to beneficiaries on the ground.

Ground operations and project implementation occur through the BCI Regional Training Centers which act as hubs to train women from all over the world whom BCI travels to and from their communities so that they can learn.



Staff on the ground are primarily local and supported by world class experts and BCI’s global staff in project implementation

Executive oversight is provided by the vertically integrated Global Advisory Board, drawn from all levels of the organization



Our Board

Aurelia (Aura) Reinheart

Steven D Sandler

BCI Board

Moira McCracken

BCI Board

Devashish Taknet

BCI Board

Khrystyne Haje

BCI Board

Take Action 


We are actively seeking new corporate and philanthropic partners to help us power up new initiatives for 2025 and 2026. 

Contact US
To donate and support our mission, please click here:
Get Involved
It's been a lot of fun for me, and being with older women has taught me a lot. I now have ideas to open my own business because having my own money is important. I can charge other villages for charging their phones, just like our village used to do before we had solar.
Mama AissataSolar Engineer Senegal
Mama Aissata
I never got to finish school, but the desire to learn never left me. When I found out there was a training program open to women my age, and completely free, I said yes immediately. It was finally a chance to pick up where everything had stopped. 

MamizenaSolar Engineer, a mother of six, in Madagascar
Mamizena
In this way I have found my super power. I don’t feel like a woman who is put down. I am empowered to do more and more. I can speak to anyone at any time and share how they can make their lives better. I am confident. Before, I never spoke to anyone before.
Fatma Juma HajiBCI Global Ambassador
Fatma Juma Haji

Khrystyne Haje

A native Californian, Emmy winner Khrystyne Haje started her career at age 14 as a fashion model. Gracing covers and billboards world-wide she quickly progressed to commercials, starring roles in Network TV, movies and the role of Simone, on ABC’s 5-year top 20 hit Head of the Class – now in syndication.

As a founding board member of ECO, the Earth Communication Office, she works hard to protect our delicate ecosystems. She’s presented at the White House on community involvement, publicly taken a stand with MADD, (Mothers Against Drunk Driving) and contributed her time and resources to Best Buddies, which enhances the lives of people with intellectual disabilities by offering love, support and friendship.

Devashish Taknet

Devashish Taknet is an impact investing professional skilled in cross-sectoral partnerships and fundraising. With over nine years of experience in the field of education, sustainable livelihood generation, and financial inclusion, he combines his grassroots zeal with business acumen to foster sustainable community-led change. His work with impact investors has given him insights into social enterprise models in South Asia, Africa, and North America. Before moving to New York City, he managed multi-million dollar partnerships for grassroots impact in India for Barefoot College International, addressing 15 of the 17 UN SDGs, and now volunteers for the Board of BCI USA. Devashish is the recipient of various scholarships and fellowships recognizing his leadership in social impact. Beyond his professional pursuits, he enjoys playing basketball, golf, and traveling.

He earned his Masters in Public Administration from New York University, a postgraduate diploma in Development Leadership from the Indian School of Development Management, and his Bachelors in Commerce (Hons) from the University of Delhi.

Moira McCracken

Moira McCracken is a Senior Business Development and Sales Leader with decades of experience in delivering top sales revenue across areas of the sales cycle ranging from prospecting to lead generation, qualification and closing. Her acumen in product, market and needs analysis and her ability to deliver consistently superb sales results has made her invaluable throughout her career to KMA One, Jamsoft, Into 2000 and IBM. Moira has also founded and run Equine Partners Limited, a highly successful company specializing in product marketing and sales distribution for the canine and equine marketplaces.

Steven Sandler

Steven Sandler is Senior Managing Director of Acansa Investment Management Group, LLC, a premier Outsourced Chief Investment Office serving Foundations, Endowments, and other select private institutions. He is responsible for leading Acansa’s alternative and private investments, as well as ESG/JDEI Strategy.

Prior to joining Acansa, he was the founder and Chief Executive Officer of Crosswind Capital, LLC, an investment management firm based in New York and London, where his responsibilities included the development and implementation of the firm’s investment strategy in the areas of real estate, clean energy and natural resources, industrial services, impact initiatives and infrastructure, as well as overseeing all transaction origination, execution, research, and firm management. Steven earned his MBA from The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, JD (Honors) from The Florida State University College of Law, and BA from Washington & Lee University.

Aura Reinhardt

Aura is a veteran public relations and community affairs executive. Aura’s career spans more than 30 years in the wine & spirits and lifestyle industries where she led the public relations department of LVMH/Moet Hennessy USA and most recently the communications team at Bacardi USA. Believing deeply in Corporate Social Responsibility, Aura built partnerships in sectors such as education, health and wellbeing, culture and local government; she was instrumental in making Bacardi USA a champion of the arts and historic preservation. A resident of Coconut Grove, Aura is committed to building a culture landscape in Miami that endures and is distinctive. Aura is tri-lingual in French/Italian/English.

Aura works with BCI as a means of proliferating clean energy to the most needful women and their communities around the globe, as she wishes to give a brighter future to new generations and their families for the long-term.