Barli Institute Honors & Grants
2008 Austin and Houston, Texas Events with Celebrity Rainn Wilson
Last October, Mahnaz Javid, president of Mona Foundation, and celebrity spokesperson, Rainn Wilson, of NBC TV's, “The Office,” traveled to Austin and Houston, Texas to attend fundraising events to benefit Barli Development Institute for Rural Women in Indore, India.
Since 1985, the Barli Institute has completed 93 residential training sessions covering 16 life skill programs for more than 4,000 young women from 450 villages of Madhya Pradesh and other parts of India. The young women who attend Barli not only learn income-producing and other life skills, such as literacy and healthcare, they've proven to be effective in transferring this gain to their home villages and become, in effect, agents of social change in their communities. Barli has received numerous awards, including recognition by UNESCO as one of the top 100 education projects in developing countries. The institute was also listed on the UN Environmental Programme's Global 500 Roll of Honor.
ACTWomen, a local Austin non-profit organization, was held Saturday, October 25th and featured the best of Austin''s Indian community including music, food and dance. Many Austin youth volunteers contributed to the evening, helping to set up, serve dinner, manage the silent auction, and other responsibilities. Classic Indian Dancer Anu Naimpally performed.
“ACTWomen was founded to support the empowerment and education of girls and women in the Austin community, but we've been looking to combine our efforts with a global program,” said president and founder of ACTWomen, Felora Derakhshani. “We found out about the efforts of Mona Foundation, and felt it was a perfect fit. Education of women and girls is the key for the transformation of society towards a safer and peaceful world.”
During the evening, Mahnaz Javid shared stories and pictures from her recent visit to the Barli Project and Rainn Wilson lent his comic skills to auction off items such as a nine-day stay in a cottage on the Irish Sea and fanciful Lego toy robots donated by National Instruments. Prior to the event, Rainn was also interviewed by Austin media including radio, print and television. Many wonderful youth volunteers supported this event with their enthusiastic service and posed with rainn for a photo.
The next day, Mahnaz and Rainn flew to Houston to attend an elegant luncheon at the home of Shiva Noorian. Last year, Shiva held a luncheon and it was so well-attended and successful, she graciously offered to organize another this year. Mahnaz shared the stories of her trip to Barli and Rainn spoke about why he's committed to Mona Foundation, which he calls, “the perfect charity.” Rainn also attended a meeting with Houston youth later in the day to talk about the importance of service. These events raised $10,000 for the Barli Institute.2008 Los Angeles Dinner and Auction
Another Barli support event was held during the McGilligan's visit to the US in Los Angeles at the home of Sima and Kambiz Mobini. Dinner was served for 80 guests, and a silent auction was held. All learned directly from the directors of Barli Institute of the training programs and community development of the Barli graduates. $24,000 was raised for the Barli Institute.
2008 Seattle Luncheon, $45,000 Raised for Programs
Luncheon in Seattle, WA was held in support of Barli Institute. Tables were dressed with fall colored orchids, and the bright additions of small hand worked Indian bags were shared as gifts for the guests. These things gave a festive air to the event from the beginning. The 140 guests enjoyed a wonderful lunch while Dr. Janak McGilligan, director of Barli, told of the history of the Institute having grown in twenty years from one training class for 16 girls to a school having graduated over 4000 young women. Training at the Institute constitutes literacy instruction, as most young girls in this region of India are not offered any education beyond fourth or fifth grade. Vocational training is also part of their days so that graduates leave the year-long training ready to open their own businesses in tailoring, shop keeping, or in any other business they choose.
One very impressive fact is that almost 99% of everything used at Barli Institute is recycled-including the leaves and twigs raked from the ground which are compressed with shredded newspapers and other combustible materials and packed into briquettes. These are made daily by the trainees, stored and are then used during the rainy season for cooking and heating water. In the dry season, solar power is the only source of heating for cooking and heating water Directors of Barli Institute in India Visit the US Events held in Washington, California and Texas for the Institute for personal use. Water is stored in cisterns and gray water is used to irrigate the gardens where most all of the food is raised by the attendees for their own use.
Dr. Janak also spoke about the methods of instruction and shared inspirational stories of successful graduates. Barli Institute is making a terrific impact in the region as these young ladies return to their home villages confident in their abilities and ready to share their new knowledge with other women locally. Often they begin a series of community classes in health care or pre-natal information and personal development for other young ladies not as fortunate as they were to attend Barli Institute.
Guests were extremely generous in support of this Mona Foundation sponsored project and together raised about $45,000 toward the programs at the Institute for 2009.
2006 Bellevue Rotary Provides Water Heaters
The Bellevue Rotary of Washington State has set aside $1,800 to contribute to our project in Indore, India: Barli Institute. Rita Egrari will attend their meeting on July 11, give a short presentation and receive the check. This grant came unsolicited this year after we contacted them last year about possible support. When Rita communicated with Barli, they said they would like to put it toward purchasing solar panels for their dorms. The Rotary Club liked this proposal. We are very grateful to Bellevue Rotary for this very generous support.
The Solar Water Heaters are installed here and have been working successfully. Hot water is being supplied to the students and staff bathrooms, and the volunteer and guest apartments. The project took longer to complete than planned, the manufacturer changed the specification of the stainless steel in the inner tanks to cope with high mineral content water, raised the price and renegotiation was necessary. The girls are enjoying some hot showers and everyone is very grateful.
2005 Outstanding Achievements
5 Masters of Social Work Degree Students were on placement at the Institute. They helped in various ways and also learned about the practical aspects of social work for their degrees. The First Largest Solar Kitchen in Madhya Pradesh was made by the Institute at the request of Chetna High School in the village Gadwada in the Jhabua district. The Barli Institute designed and built it. Now 700 tribal children are getting solar cooked food. The Library has been organized as a self-service library. Books have been recorded in the computer and given a reference number. Each book has also been color-coded according to the shelf it is on to make it easy for everyone to find a book and put it back on the right shelf, regardless of level of literacy or language. A Health Curriculum developed on the basis of the Baha'i writings and tested on daily basis for 20 years of experience has been published in English. It has already been taken to Pakistan, Yemen, Zambia, Qatar, Michigan University, and others in the United Kingdom. In India, some NGO's have also started using and appreciating it in Dehradun and in Madhya Pradesh. A Hindi version is being published by MacMillan, available in May 2005. Kasturba Gandhi Trust, a national headquarters, has decided to use the Barli curriculam in their programmes. The Institute is also developing training manuals for teaching literacy, cutting and tailoring, including instructions on how to teach the material in addition to the lesson content. “Kokila” newsletter continues to be published and circulated.
More than 1000 visitors came to the Institute to see how it is run, to observe classes, to learn about the environmental advances at the Institute and for various other purposes. These visitors have included local, regional, national and international individuals and groups of engineers, teachers, scientists, doctors, social workers, researchers, representatives from NGO's and government officials, religious heads of many communities, the Vice Chancellor of Indore University, Managing Director of State Energy Corporation in Bhopal, District Collector of Indore, the Collector Of Ratlam district, Mayor of Indore, Chairperson of the State commission of Women of Madhya Pradesh, and many individuals with personal interest in the Institute, First Secretary of Trade & investment, BritshDepty High Commission Mumbai, Lead Financial Analyst Energy and Infrastrture Africa Region, The World Bank, Washington DC. These visits have not only been beneficial to the visitors but also to the Institute. They have helped the Institute to keep a close relationship with many organizations and the government, and have also been instrumental in brining the trainees to people who are part of the social mainstream. This helps as a source of encouragement for the trainees. The interaction with visitors helps to improve the trainees' social skills and builds their confidence.
2005 Successful Graduates
Ekta Parishad, a national organization's higher level staff visited the institute because they need more trainers like Padma and Dalki, Barli graduates from Dhar district who have passed 10th class exam and are currently working in Ekta Parishd. They are the best field workers in their organization. Another organization, Kalyani Institute, running its programme in Jhabua district, has Kala Bamnia working at the community level. Kala has also passed 10th standard exam. Simlilarly, Malti, one of the graduates of the institute, is running a Gyan Kendre (Center of learning) in her neighbouring village. Binsi, from Ranapur tehsil of the Jhabua district, informed us that she has been selected as vocational trainer for her village, a government job. Three young women are running a government village and child center in their respective villages, Meena in Gangpur, Geeta in Temria and Meera in Dharamrai village. Kaushlya from Jhabua is a nurse. Suraj in Khategaon area is running a school in her village. Dhema is working in Rajender Ashram in Jhabua district. Shakuntla is working with Paryas, an NGO in Bhabra. Dwarki, a polio affected girl from Badwani is serving the disabled in her village through the Asha gram Centre.
It is also quite satisfying to learn that some of the school drop outs have returned and understood the value of education: Puppi and Krishna and Seema have passed 5th standard with second divison, Kashi from Chatarpur has passed 8th and Lata from Chatisgarh passed her 10th and recently appeard in the 12th exam.
Two nuns trained by the institute as Community Trainers are able to give batique printing training in their organization. Two sisters, Nur and Safia, living in a village near Panchgani, have established their textile printing work. Three young girls who were sent to us by SOS village are employed and getting more than 2000 rupees per month. Padma in Khargone does her own small business of selling Sarees and insurance in her community. Most of the graduates are reported to be sharing their knowledge and experience with their families and communities in some community service to women or children. Outreach centers are also being run by the graduates of the institute.
topI & G Charitable Foundation Grant to Barli
A generous couple instilled the spirit of giving in their grandchildren by allowing them to choose the recipient of an annual grant from the I & G Charitable Foundation, a private fund they set up. One of the grandchildren, a university student, chose the Mona Foundation as a recipient organization and designated her grant to benefit The Barli Institute for Development of Rural Women in Indore, India. The family's total grant was $3,000.00.
The Barli Institute focuses on literacy training, practical knowledge of health, nutrition and sanitation, skills for income generation, and an awareness of village-level environmental conservation.
A mere $30.00 per month graduates one woman from a skill-based training program.
Empowered as agents for social change, graduates have had a measurable impact on the well being of their families and villages.
1992-1994 Awards
The Institute has received numerous awards and citations for its work on the environment and development. In 1992, it was made a member of the United Nations Environmental Programme's Global 500 Roll of Honor for outstanding Environmental Achievement. In 1994, the Institute was listed in UNESCO's INNOV database as one of 81 successful basic education projects in developing countries.