Barli Institute Background
The Institute
The Barli Development Institute for Rural Women focuses on giving poor young women literacy training, practical knowledge of health, nutrition and sanitation, skills for income-generation, and an awareness of village-level environmental conservation. Empowered by their training as agents for social change, graduates have had a measurable impact on the well-being of their families and home villages.
Originally established as the Baha'i Vocational Institute for Rural Women, the Institute became an independent entity with its own board of directors in September 2001, taking the name Barli Development Institute for Rural Women. The Institute has trained more than 1,300 young women and girls since 1985.
Objectives
The primary objective of the Institute is to train rural and tribal women from villages around Indore and thereby empower them with the knowledge of their true selves and to give them the skills and knowledge needed to improve the quality of life for themselves, their families and their communities.
topCurriculum Goals
Located in the city of Indore in Madhya Pradesh, the Institute offers all of its training programs free of charge to women, drawing its trainees mainly from tribal areas throughout a region that is marked by chronic poverty and malnutrition, due in part to low crop yields, frequent droughts, a shortage of drinking water, and poor soil.
Its programs seek to overcome obstacles that have traditionally hindered the development of women, which in turn have hindered the development of all. To this end, it offers a spiritually oriented curriculum that empowers women with an opportunity to reflect on the nature of their relationships with others and with their social institutions. The students examine age-old caste, tribal, and class prejudices, in the light of Baha'i principles such as the oneness of humanity, equality of women and men, respect for diversity, and service to the community. At the same time, they are encouraged to identify positive elements in their culture that need to be preserved and strengthened.
The Institute works on these goals through a holistic approach to education, giving each trainee leadership training courses in literacy, tailoring, agriculture, artisan crafts-work, human rights, environmental awareness, self-esteem and personality development, social commitment, nutrition and health, and income-generating skills. Art, music, and dance are also incorporated into the curriculum.
The objective is that, once empowered with such training, the women can return to their home villages and become "pillars" of their families and communities — agents for changing the social and physical environments. Indeed, "barli" is the local word for the central pillar of the house, and like the "barli," which supports the physical structure, the woman supports the structure of the family and the community.
The Institute's training programs typically run either six months or one year, although short-term workshops and training sessions are occasionally offered on select topics. Graduates receive a certificate through the National Open Schools program. The Institute obtains funding from a range of sources, including the Baha'i community of India, the Swedish International Development Agency, and the Two Wings Foundation.
The Curriculum is designed to achieve the following:
To facilitate change in the traditional attitudes and practices which block or impede the efforts of men and women to live in equality with dignity and security
To facilitate the initiation and execution of development activities in the communities.
To increase awareness and knowledge of the potential for improving the social and economic conditions in the communities.
To build the skills and knowledge needed to initiate development activities, improve health and nutrition, raise household income, increase literacy, protect and improve the environment.
Statistics on Women, Madhya Pradesh
The Indian constitution grants equal rights to men and women, but this protection does not reach to the village women, who are illiterate, poor, and "low cast." Below is the summary of findings as reported by The Barli Institute for Development of Rural Women in Indore, India:
Women's condition in general
According to UNICEF statistics every year 10% of girls die before the age of one and 8.5% die before the age of 5. Total mortality rate for women per year in European countries equals to total of mortality rate of women in one week in India. All governmental and non governmental organizations and UNICEF report that women work more, eat less and rest less compared to men while they give birth to children and care for them. Women also have to cope with spousal beatings and drunkenness.
Rural and Tribal Women's Condition
Spend a night in Jhabua or Dhar district and you will see women waking up at 3 am to start grinding flour for the day's food. When it is cold the men and children sit around the fire while the women feed the animals, carry cow dung, cook, sweep, wash utensils, carry water etc.
In the villages, men simply bring home another wife if the work load in the house and land is too much for one wife to handle. When a boy child goes to school, his mother will help him get ready. Generally he wears trousers and avoids field work; he thinks that it is beneath him. He has a bicycle, shoes and freedom to roam in the market, while his sister goes with the animals to the meadow, or she will go to collect wood, wearing ragged clothes. Before marriage she has few chances to go out - perhaps to a few festivals.
Women and literacy and education
In Madhya Pradesh people do not send girls to school, and according to according to a report from the National Women's Committee in 1994, only 28% of girls are literate. In the villages of 1000 girls, 53 girls leave school before 5th grade, 15 girls complete grade 5, one girl passes 10th grade and one completes 12th grade.
In Jhabua district literacy rate is only 6%. The government has spent hundreds and thousands of Rupees on literacy programs but the percentage has not increased.
Women's health
According to Madhya Pradesh Voluntary Health Association 800 out of every 10,000 die giving birth, 100 die while pregnant. Of these 28 died of poisoning, 23 from anemia and jaundice and 22 from excess bleeding during delivery.
According to UNICEF Madhya Pradesh has the highest rate of child death in all the states of India. Out of 1000 children 108 die before the age of one and a third of the children are underweight so they are susceptible for various diseases.
Social evils facing women
In this state every year many child marriages take place. According to January 1999 report of the National Women Commission, in Madhya Pradesh 15.4% of girls are married between 10 and 14 years of age. Another report confirms that in 1998 16.6% of rural women and 11% of urban girls married between 10 and 14 years of age.
Dowry
In India every three hours a women dies because of dowry. From 1990 to 1993, 20537 dowry deaths occurred.
Family Condition
Boys are preferred to girls in the family structure. Parents give nutritious food to their boys but do not give much attention to their girls. They send their boys to school but demand that the girls work in the field. They teach the girls from childhood to wake up early in the morning and do all the work, like cleaning the home, cooking, bringing water, wood for the fire, washing clothes, washing utensils, taking care of anyone who is sick in the home, and to work in the fields.
Parents do not allow girls to go anywhere on their own. They are not given money to spend, and they are not allowed to speak freely or give their advice in the home. If a girl is sick she does not get proper treatment.
Impact on Home Communities
Graduates have had a measurable impact on their communities. Although more than half of the trainees are illiterate when they arrive, 99% leave fully able to read and write Hindi. Studies show that 96% of them use their income generation and related skills upon their return home and that 46% have established small businesses of sewing clothes and started generating income while 7- 9% are employed in various jobs. Some 97% of graduates are using safe drinking water practices; some 70% now include leafy vegetables in their diet; and 41% are growing and selling vegetables. In addition, women in five villages have planted some 2,500 trees.
Other studies have shown that the women have indeed helped to create a new atmosphere of mutual respect and unity in their communities, helping to displace caste prejudices in tribal communities once notorious for their high crime rate and alcohol abuse. The Institute collaborates actively with government officials and non-government organizations—exchanging information, methodologies, and research information.
Directors & Staff
Directors
Mrs. Janak Palta McGilligan
Director of Barli Development Institute for Rural Women, Indore since 1985.
Born 16th February 1948 at Jullandhar, Punjab, India: Bachelor of Arts, Punjab University, Chandigarh, 1968; M. A. English, Punjab University, Chandigarh 1972; Diploma in Translation, Punjab University, Chandigarh 1976; Visharad in Instrumental Music (Sitar) from Gandharv Mahavidyalaya, Chandigarh 1976; M. A. Political Science, Punjab University, Chandigarh, 1976; M. Phil, Political Science (with distinction), Punjab University, Chandigarh, 1986.
Mr. James R. McGilligan
Manager, Barli Development Institute for Rural Women, Indore since 1988. Born: 31 March 1943 at Lisboy Killykergan Coleraine Northern Ireland: Educated in Northern Ireland at Garvagh Primary School and Garvagh High School. From 1963 to 1986 ran a land reclamation and drainage business in Northern Ireland. Came to India in 1986 to assist in reclamation of saline soils on land surrounding Rabanni Bahá'í School, Susera Gwalior Madhya Pradesh.
Staff
Ajay Tiwari – Accountant
Archana Margonwar – Programme Officer, Diploma in Social and Economic Development from New Era Development Institute Panchgani
Manta Jain – Programme Officer, Masters in Social Work from Indore School of Social Work, DAVV Indore
Mrs. Dhedi Bagkdhare formally 'Dawar' – Training in Charge, 9 years training experience at BVIRW, represents the Institute at local and national level conference and workshops, etc.
Mrs. Bhati – Literacy and Vocational Trainer, 10 years training experience at BVIRW
Miss Tara Baghel – Hindi Word processing and typing. Certificate in Home Science from New Era Development Institute Panchgani
Mrs. Sunder Bai – Garden worker
Mrs. Chanda – Warden
Mrs. Laxmi Bai – House Keeper
Mrs. Nanda – Garden Worker
Mr. Suker Ram Dawar – Garden and Maintainance Worker
Nr. Rajinder Chuan – Garden and Maintainance Worker
Mrs. Lakshmi – Cook
Mr. Vinod Soni – Driver (not in Photo)
The Dog's name is Moti (recently Moti died from some internal bleeding).
Statistics reprinted with permission the Bahá'í World News Service.
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