View source for Barli Development Institute for Rural Women

{{More citations needed|date=November 2020}}The '''Barli Development Institute for Rural Women in Indore''' is a [[Baháʼí school|Baháʼí inspired]], though independent [[Boarding school|residential]] [[vocational education]] [[school]] providing programs for women in the vicinity of the city of [[Indore]], [[India]] in the state of [[Madhya Pradesh]] as well as a base for outreach/non-residential training centers.

==History==
The  Institute was founded in 1985 and was under the suggestion and direction of the [[National Spiritual Assembly]] of the Baháʼís of India.<ref name="bic">[http://www.wfdd.org.uk/programmes/case_studies/barli.pdf Empowering Young Women to Improve Rural Lives - The Story of the Barli Development Institute for Rural Women, Indore, Madhya Pradesh, India.] A case study in Baháʼí Development. Prepared by The Baháʼí International Community for [[The World Faiths Development Dialogue]] (11 July 2003)</ref><ref name="bahaindia">{{cite web | url = http://www.bahaindia.org/social/barlimore.html | title = Barli Development Institute for Rural Women | accessdate = 2006-09-15 | publisher = bahaindia.org | date = 2003-08-11 | author = bahaindia.org | archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20061013232726/http://www.bahaindia.org/social/barlimore.html | archivedate = 13 October 2006 | url-status = dead }}</ref> The word "Barli" denotes the central pillar which supports the tribal house typical of those areas, highlighting the belief of the institute that women are the central pillars of society.<ref name="Bhopal ">[http://southasia.oneworld.net/article/view/96210/1/6726 OneWorld SouthEast Asia - Empowering rural women through training] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070218141000/http://southasia.oneworld.net/article/view/96210/1/6726 |date=February 18, 2007 }}</ref> On Sept. 11, 2001, the institute registered as an independent [[NGO]] and dropped the name Baha'i from its formal name.<ref name="asha">[http://www.ashanet.org/projects/project-view.php?p=589 Asha For Education - Barli Development institute for rural women]</ref> In 2004 the institute began developing regional satellite training non-residential opportunities.<ref name="Bhopal ">[http://southasia.oneworld.net/article/view/96210/1/6726 OneWorld SouthEast Asia - Empowering rural women through training] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070218141000/http://southasia.oneworld.net/article/view/96210/1/6726 |date=February 18, 2007 }}</ref>

==Awards/Certifications==
Through June 1996, a total of 769 rural tribal women have been trained at the Institute with a variety of measures of successful impact on the lives of graduates including:<ref name="bvirw">{{cite web | url = http://www.geocities.com/rainforest/2519/ | title = Barli Vocational Institute for Rural Women | author = Barli Vocational Institute for Rural Women | accessdate = 2006-09-15 | date=  2002-02-17|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20060209010110/http://www.geocities.com/rainforest/2519/|archivedate=2006-02-09}}</ref>
*45% of them established small businesses, 
*62% are functionally literate or semi-literate (which has motivated people to send their children to school), 
*42% have started growing vegetables, 
*97% are using safe drinking water, 
*all the former trainees and many of their male relatives have given up drinking alcohol, 
*caste prejudices have been eliminated.
In contrast, in 1994, only 92 of every 1000 tribal girls were literate; only 3 in every 1000 made it as far as middle school; and just 1 in every 1000 actually completed her secondary schooling.<ref name="bic"/>

Further:
*In 1990, two of its (formerly illiterate) trainees won first prize in a Learner's Song Competition sponsored by [[UNESCO]].
*In 1990, the literacy methodology used at the Institute was adopted by the [[University of Leicester]], U.K.
*In 1992, [[UNEP]] conferred the Institute with the [[Global 500 Roll of Honour]] for outstanding environmental achievements in helping to eradicate [[guinea worm]] from 302 villages in [[Jhabua]] district in educating and training women and villagers.<ref>[http://www.global500.org/ViewLaureate.asp?ID=283 Global 500 - Adult Award Winner in 1992] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110604065613/http://www.global500.org/ViewLaureate.asp?ID=283 |date=June 4, 2011 }}</ref> "...now the district is completely free of Guinea Worms."<ref>[http://www.bahai.com/thebahais/pg63b.htm "The Baha'is - A Profile of the Baháʼí Faith and its Worldwide Community"]</ref>
<!-- *In 1993, Mrs. Eleanor Mitten, a student from Smith College, Massachusetts, U.S.A. and Ms. Paula Drewek, a faculty member from the University of Michigan, came to do research at the Institute. Perhaps find studies published -->
*In 1994, the Institute is listed in [[UNESCO]]'s [[INNOV]] database as one of 81 successful basic education projects in developing countries.
*Since 1990, the Institute has been a placement agency for eight [[Master of Social Work]] students from the Indore [[School of Social Work]].

Graduates receive a certificate through the [[National Open School]] program.<ref name="bic"/>

==Programmes==
The institute offers a variety of classes arranged around six-month and one year residential programs at its {{convert|6|acre|m2|sing=on}} facilities and three months non-residential at the satellite outreach centers.<ref name="Bhopal "/> Programmes include [[Family and consumer science|family life skills]], [[environmental education]] and [[gardening]], [[literacy]] in [[Hindi]], [[public health]],<ref name="asha"/> and [[vocational education]]; some subjects are taught directly and some [[Holistic education|holistically]]. Since 1998 the Institute has helped provide and train students to use large [[solar ovens]].<ref name="background">[http://news.bahai.org/story/176 Backgrounder: the Barli Development Institute for Rural Women Indore, India] 18 November 2002 (BWNS)</ref> There are also "train the trainer" type programs and refresher courses for area coordinators.<ref name="Bhopal "/>

Many former graduates work approximately 100 days each year on field visits to conduct awareness raising programmes, recruit women for courses, do surveys and research, and to assist the former trainees to organize women's committees.<ref name="bvirw"/>

==See also==
*[[Baháʼí Faith and gender equality]]
*[[New Era High School]]
*[[Education in India]]
*[[Baháʼí Faith in India]]

==References==
<references/>

==External links==
*[http://www.barli.org Barli Development Institute for Rural Women in Indore] Official Webpage

{{coord missing|Madhya Pradesh}}

[[Category:Bahá'í educational institutions]]
[[Category:Educational institutions established in 1985]]
[[Category:Girls' schools in Madhya Pradesh]]
[[Category:Boarding schools in Madhya Pradesh]]
[[Category:Schools in Madhya Pradesh]]
[[Category:1985 establishments in Madhya Pradesh]]