Grandmothers light India, Pakistan, more with solar power

It may well be that true change in the world will come because we, the grandmothers, are taking charge. One example: the women of Barefoot College in India. In this TED Talk, Bunker Roy, founder of Barefoot College, tells us that when it comes to making social and technological change on the ground, at home, the grandmothers are indispensable.

In his talk, he shows us, among other things, how grandmothers in Pakistan, India, Namibia and elsewhere bring solar power to their villages. They build solar lanterns to light their homes and night-time schools. They design and build solar cookers to eliminate the health-destroying smoke from wood fires, as well as to save their rapidly diminishing forests.

Take a look.



You  may notice a little sexist undertone in some of the speech, but don't let that deter you from feeling the import of the work of the women. I take hope in what we can accomplish, and hold the women of the Barefoot College as role models of grandmother wisdom and ingenuity. What do you think we can learn from such women?

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We make peace in a million small ways every day.

All text and images, unless otherwise noted, copyright L. Kathryn Grace. All rights reserved.