Some news from Janak and Jimmy’s on their US promotional tour

The flight from London to LA on 29th October was 12 hours but we were quite surprised that we not so tired after the journey..
Mr. Hoshang Samadi met us at the airport and took us to the home of Diane and Iraj Samandi in Malibu, a beautiful home overlooking the Pacific Ocean.


Next morning we could have a refreshing walk on the beach and watch some hardy bathers and seals bobbing around in the ocean, Then to relax for the rest of the day. Next day we were taken to see the Getty Villa Museum in LA and see some famous landmarks like Rodeo Drive and Beverly Hills by Iraj who also has a connection with India


Display of Barli Products, Our Dear`Friends Hanju and Bob Kim-Farley

Next evening we would give a presentation at a fund raising event for the Mona Foundation hosted by Sima Mobini and her Husband at their beautiful home in Southern California,

their large home was really overflowing with guests. We had a surprising meet with dear friends from India Hanju and Bob Kim-Farley .We made aPowerPoint presentation on Barli Institute programmes .

This event was conducted Rainn Wilson Emmy-nominated and Screen Actors Guild Award-winning American actor.
On 2nd Nov evening we arrived in New Orleans.
Visit our Website http://www.barli.org/

Email Us

Your comments are welcome

Jimmy McGilligan Participates in 3e Green Building International Conference in Taiwan.

Jimmy McGilligan Manager Barli Development Institute for Rural Women participated in the 3e Green Building International Conference 2008 on 14th to 16th October in Tainan Taiwan.
He gave 2 keynote addresses one on the first day of the conference at Kun Shan University on the topic of “Use of Scheffler Solar Cookers at Barli Development Institute for Rural Women”


On Day two of the conference he gave a keynote address at Far East University on the topic of "An Environmenal Friendly and Energy Friendly Campus.






While in Tainan he also spent a couple of days in a workshop of Mr. Woo teaching engineering students some the important factors about building Scheffler Solar cookers.
During this conference an excellent connection was made between the Barli Developmen Institute for Rural Women and Kun Shan University Far East University and many others.
Visit: web site of Barli Devlopment Institute for Rural Women
Email Us

Parents Meeting at Barli
The parents of the girls being trained attended the two-day Parents Gathering organized at the Institute from 30th to 31st August, the mid point of the present 6 month training session. 121 parents, guardians and relatives from 44 villages of Jhabua, Khargone, Alirajpur, Dewas, Badhwani and Indore districts attended the program.

On the first day of the program, the parents were introduced to the methodology of how thetraining is given to the girls in order for them to understand the wide range subjects being taught to them. This they did by observing the sessions being held during the day on all the subjects, Personal and Community Development, Literacy, Health and Hygiene and Tailoring. During the sessions, the girls showed their parents their books, their hand-written notebooks, files and drafts and workbooks from the tailoring and other classes. One could easily observe the pride and joy with which the girls were showing their achievements to their parents. Also there were expressions of pride and satisfaction on the faces of the parents.

In the evening Dr. (Mrs.) Janak McGilligan, Director of the Institute, Mrs. Dhedi Baghdare, Program Officer, and Mr. Jimmy McGilligan, Manager of the Institute, gave a power point presentation on the graduates of the Institute who have taken training at the Institute in the previous years and how they were utilizing their skills they have learned, by setting up tailoring shops and other businesses in their villages and neighbouring towns, and how they were using the new found skill to teach others.

The presentation included information how the graduates were using solar cookers, and how the present trainees could obtain these solar cookers. The main purpose of the program on the first day to make the parents aware of the capacities developed and skills learnt by their daughters so hat they could support them on their return to their villages after the completion of the training in another three months.

On the second day of the training, the Director of the institute welcomed all the parents and relatives of the girls and thanked them for coming for the program. She asked them that now that their daughters have been at the institute for nearly three months, they have learnt a lot of skills and also there must be some transformation in them. The parents must be observing these changes in them. Dr. McGilligan requested them to share their observation with all and also to give some suggestions for making improvements in the training. Each parent expressed their happiness at the enthusiasm, dedication towards learning and transformation in their daughters.

Following are some of the emotions shared by the parents:

"I am very happy to see the very strict rule of not being able to meet our daughters during the training period. I feel very satisfied that my daughter is safe here. We, at times, are not able to protect our daughters at home, and here you have the responsibility of and taking care of the safety of 80 girls, and you are answerable to nearly 80 parents. On my return I send more girls for training so that after getting trained they help in the development of their families and the communities.”

“My daughter never used to do any work at home and that was one of the reasons we sent her here for the training. I am very happy to see her doing all kinds of work and she too is happy.”

“The training being given here is of great support to tribal people which will be very helpful in the transformation of life there.”

“My two daughters used to fight a lot earlier. They would not even talk to each other. I am very happy to see them together. They now love each other. This became possible only because of the training here”.

“My daughter showed me books that are being taught here and the clothes she learnt to sew.”

“My daughter says that she has learnt tailoring here and she will now support me in my old age.”

Along with parents, girls also shared some of their thoughts and feelings-

“I used to always think that I am very weak and that I know nothing. But today I feel that I can do lot of things in my life”.

"I used to feel very hesitant and shy of talking in front of others. Now I am able to speak without any fear in front of so many people.”

“Along with learning myself, I am also learning how to teach others.”

“I want to teach literacy to others in the villages who don’t know how to read and write”

“Earlier I would not talk to other people. Now I have learnt how to speak Hindi and also am able to talk to others”.

“I learnt here that we should all live together in unity because God has created us equal”.

“I learnt about cleanliness and hygiene. I learnt that I should not take water from the pitcher with my glass. I will teach all this to others in the village.”

“Earlier I would not talk to other people. Now I have learnt how to speak Hindi and also am able to talk to others”.

Thank Your for your
Vistit our website

EMail Us

Our Vocational Trainer Miss Nurnaj Honoured

On 25th June 2008 The Rotary Club of Indore City felicitated our vocational trainer Miss Nurnaj (Noori) for ”outstanding work done in the service of mankind”. While introducing her secretary of Rotary Club of Indore City Dr. SS Nayyar said she had been serving at the Barli Development Institute for Rural Women for five years and training tribal and rural women which are really commendable especially after she was herself trained there. Nuraj was presented with a fine shawl and a Certificate of Excellence

The background of Noori's selection;

January 2008, visit of Mrs .S. Lotte Dahl, a member of Rotary International from Denmark was visiting Indore, her local host Rotary Club of Indore City arranged for her to visit Barli Development Institute for Rural Women. She saw the diverse activities of the Institute including batik and traditional craftwork. Before going she stated that”it was a great experience and she learned a lot and is considering sending her daughter to volunteer at the Institute.”
She along with the local team of Rotary including their president, was very much impressed by the dedication and service of Miss Nuraj, after interacting in detail about how she actually conducts the training.
When asked to speak Nuraj, said that she has been awarded first time in her life and feels proud of it. It was very encouraging.
Miss Nuraj hails from Rampur village near Varanasi in U.P she was trained at Barli Institute in 2002 in Cutting and tailoring and Typing. Then she passed National Institute of Open Schooling exam. She started working in the institute as a trainer in the year 2003 and serving with complete dedication.

Posted By Janak McGilligan Director

Visit our Web site Email Us

Comments are appreciated

Our Manager Jimmy McGilligan Awarded OBE

James McGilligan (Jimmy) Manager of Barli Development Institute for Rural Women originally from Northern Ireland has been awarded an OBE in Her Majesty the Queen’s Birthday Honours list 2008. “For his services to social causes and the use of alternative energy in rural communities in India”, is the recognition of his dedicated service to the rural and tribal women in central India.
Born near Garvagh, Co. Londonderry, he has spent 20 years as Manager of Barli Development Institute for Rural Women, Indore in the State of Madhya Pradesh the multifaceted man has literally developed the Institute takes care of logistics & maintenance, infrastructure development, gardens & food production, information technology, audio visuals, environmental education, development & transfer of solar technologies, research and development, rural technologies.
For the last 10 years, he has been the pioneer in central India for manufacturing the large community solar kitchens in Madhya Pradesh with, ten meter square parabolic reflectors at the Institute, and installed then in tribal school hostels in Jhabua, Dattigaon, Dhani and an orphanage in Indore.
More than 300 domestic parabolic cookers in use in rural and tribal communities, these are sources of livelihood in a village Nathudhana , and in another district Jhabua, the tribal women thank him for giving a technology which is “gender friendly” “more easy to use”, “more safe and hygienic than firewood”. For them to go to collect wood is not just walking long distances in search of wood, it is also a struggle because of the numerous threats that they encounter along the way. For instance, walking through isolated areas makes them vulnerable to abuse and rape. They also suffer mental and physical harassment from forest officials, who stop them under the garb of enforcing rules and regulations relating to trespassing. The way back home is even tougher, when these women have to carry heavy loads on their backs. This is the time when they face the greatest threat. The maximum numbers of rapes in these areas occur during this time, when the women stop for a while to drink water, rest or relieve themselves. Of late he has installed Solar Water heating systems, Solar Dryers, Solar Oven, Water Distiller and briquetting etc. Jimmy’s work to promote solar cooking is another integral part of the main goal of the Barli Development Institute - the empowerment of young women through education and training.
Among 500 tribal communities, popularly loved and known as Jeejaji ( Brother in law) since 1988 when he married their didi (sister)Janak Palta McGilligan who was also, a Baha’i pioneer from Chandigarh, Punjab invited by National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha’is of India to establish the Institute For Rural women in Indore in, 1985 a Baha’i inspired NGO, is the centre of their world, their home and their work, their passion and the purpose of their life. British citizen, a land reclamation and drainage contractor, left his country in 1986 to work on reclamation of saline soils at Rabbani School near Gwalior and to serve the rural communities in India in responce to the call from the Baha’i World Centre.
People who have seen the eco friendly Barli campus before and after his presence can only see how Jimmy has put his mind body and soul in to this Institute in it overall development that has contributed to the empowerment of more than 4000 rural and tribal socially and economically disadvantaged young girls and women who have returned to their community’s as social change agents.
The trainees are taught vocational skills, health, literacy and personal and environmental development with a systematically designed and published curriculum, are constantly monitored updated and improved. According to him it is very important for women to be educated and empowered in any society being the first educators of their children and their status should never be seen as secondary to that of men.
Amongst many other challenges he had to rise to in India, learning to communicate in Hindi was perhaps one of the most essential. Jimmy has managed to learn by simply picking up Hindi He is modest about his language skills and jokes that he has been here for 20 years and still can’t speak Hindi, while the joke being that he makes this claim in Hindi. He gives credit of this honour to Barli Institute, all its trainees and the staff with whom he works.
Photo Above; Members of Jimmy's Family celebrating near Limavady in Northern Ireland

Posted By Janak Palta McGilligan
Visit our web site Email us
Coments are welcome

May 2008 Edition of Barli Ki Duniya is Online

The May 2008 Edition of Barli Ki Duniya (World of Barli) in now online it can be found at www.barli.org/Barli-Ki-Duniya/Barli-Ki-Duniya-May08.pdf or go to www.barli.org/our-publications.html click on the graphic of Barli Ki Duniya on the left hand side of the page.

Barli Ki Duniya (World of Barli) is the monthly newsletter of Barli Development Institute for Rural Women Indore that is circulated to all extrainees.

This newsletter serves as a tool to encourage the new literates to keep up their literate skills, it is also a means of communication between these young women and the Institute.

They are encouraged to write to the editor about their activities in the villages.

Comments welcomed

Jimmy McGilligan
Visit our web Site email us

April 2008 Edition Barli Ki Duniya online

The April 2008 Edition of Barli Ki Duniya (World of Barli) in now online it can be found at http://www.barli.org/Barli-Ki-Duniya/Barli-Ki-Duniya-april08.pdf or go to www.barli.org/our-publications.html click on the graphic of Barli Ki Duniya on the left hand side of the page. Barli Ki Duniya (World of Barli) is the monthly newsletter of Barli Development Institute for Rural Women Indore that is circulated to all extrainees.This newsletter serves as a tool to encourage the new literates to keep up there literate skills, it is also a means of communication between these young women and the Institute.They are encouraged to write to the editor about their activities in the villages and get what they write published in this newsletter for others to read

Jimmy McGilligan Email Visit www.barli.org

News from Extension Centres in Chhattisgarh

Miss Lata Yadav and Ms Sonwati from Kanker have sent the following news of 2 programmes on World Environment Day organised by the graduates and trainees of Extension Centres of Barli Development Institute for Rural Women Indore, These extension centres are located in tribal areas of Kokpur and Bhandari Para of Kanker in Chhattisgarh .
The participants included Mahila Mandals (Women Groups) from Bewarti, Kokpur Dongripara together where they took out rallies to make people aware of carbon reduction.
In her welcome address Ms. Lata Yadav and Mrs. Santoshi introduced the importance of the World environment day and UNEP they told that it is a day to focus our attention towards the conservation and preservation of environment, “because all of us should feel our moral duty to take care of the environment because it is in our own interest.

She said that we should plant and protect more trees. Panch, Sarpanch, Mahila Mandal Chairperson and Anganwadi worker of Kokpur and Dongripara about 60 women and men participated in each rally that walked through the villages with signs relating to save the environment, no pollution, plant more trees, care for the environment is service to the community, importance of healthy environment and to care for land, water, animals and forest etc.

For a detailed report of activites at Barli Development Institute for Rural Women during World Environment Day visit our web site http://www.barli.org/

Jimmy McGilligan

Barli Development Institute for Rural Women celebrates World Environment Day 2008

Barli Development Institute for Rural Women observed the World Environment Day 2008 by concluding a three day training workshop for 81 young rural and tribal girls and women from 44 villages in Dewas, Dhar, Jhabua, Khargone, Badwani and Indore districts of Madhya Pradesh
The theme of the workshop: "Reducing Carbon by Changing Habits.”Janak McGilligan Institutes Director in her welcome note shared UNEP’s message to follow the 12 steps to kick the Co2 habit, and to work towards a low carbon economy.
Dr.Prabhakar Pandit organic farming researcher and writer, was the chief guest and Dr. Arun Dike the agricultural scientist presided over this function. Prabhakar Pandit said that he was deeply impressed with the sustainable model of Barli Institute training of grass-root young women who are the real managers of environment in the villages
Dr. Arun Dike highlighted the urgent need to switch over to organic farming and address all the issues relating to carbon reduction. He said he was fascinated with the briquetting, initiative of Barli Institute as one of the most practical, simple and inexpensive solution to reduce carbon.

Miss Pooja Rathore from Khargone spoke about the saving water and reuse of water and she will now always reuse the water after cleaning and mopping in the garden.
Miss Maya from Dewas said that now she understands the merits of organic farming and she will try to practice in her community.
Miss Kamla More from Badwani District explained the meaning of environment and its conservation that she never heard before.
Miss Barkee drew everyone attention to how much trees give us and the time is come for us to protect and save them.
Miss Kiran Chouhan from Khargone district shared information on environment pollutionMrs Neha Kanoje shared benefits of trees.
Miss Idi, Miss Jendoo, Miss Uma and their group composed and sang sons about environmental conservation.
Also present on the Dias were Dr. Anupama Negi, Anaesthesist and counselor for breast cancerMr. Pramod Narayan Kulkarni, Retired Principal, Central School Mumbai,Dr. Geeta Handa ,the organic Chemist and Mr. Jimmy McGillgan Manager of the Barli Institute

During these three days, of the workshop the trainees would learn about the meaning of environment, what is pollution in general and carbon in particular and it’s affect on our lives. They would learn about the dangers of the use and over use of pesticides and other chemicals in agriculture, and when they are used how handle them without damaging their own health.Institute has developed its own training materials written in very simple local language and using the examples from local culture.
There were sessions conducted by the programme officers Ms Archna Margonwaer, Ms Dhedi Dawar, and Ms Noori. Dr. Geeta Handa , who is an organic Chemist, Dr. Anupma Negi an Aneasthesist, Dr. Shakutla Sharma and Aryuvedic practitioner, Mr Narain Prasad Madhup from Kukshi.
They learned about caring for the environment with a focus on role of women, appropriate and sustainable solutions to the current problems of forest degradation, the depletion of groundwater resources and rainfall dependant vegetable gardening.
Methods of how to organically grow dry, process, store and preserve fruits, vegetables, herbs, spices and lentils, rain-water harvesting, reuse of waste water for irrigation, waste management and composting, nursery development and plant propagation.
They also learned about the importance and benefits of solar cooking, especially for women to prevent the daily back-breaking work of fuel gathering and to help to preserve forest and woodlands and while doing so reduce air pollution.
Learning how the trees and plants absorb the pollution and carbon, and to understand that as we breathe out the trees breathe in and as they breathe out we breathe in a cleaner air.
For a full report of activities on World Environment Day visit our web site http://www.barli.org/
Jimmy McGilligan

Training workshop for tribal women Inaugurated to mark the World Environment Day

On 3rd June 2008 Barli Development Institute for Rural Women inaugurated a three day training workshop for 80 young rural and tribal girls and women from Dewas, Dhar, Jhabua, Khargone, Badwani and Indore districts of Madhya Pradesh. The theme of the workshop is "Reducing Carbon by Changing Habits” This work shop will conclude on World Environment Day 5th June

The workshop was inaugurated by Professor. Rakesh Trivedi, Environmentalist and professor of Zoology. He said Indore is known as one of the best education centres but Barli Institute is most amazing, being an incredible practitioner, where actions speak louder than the words. Knowledge is applied and has proved to be one of the best Institute for environmental management. He said that Barli is way ahead in reducing carbon and people should learn from here. He explained the meaning and ways to reduce carbon in a very simple way

Experiences of recycling shared by the members of staff, some who were trainees turned trainers. They showed the collection of used and discarded materials, turning them into new products.

Noori the tailoring trainer shared her a full range of eco-friendly products like small bags for mobile phones pouches to gift money/ornaments handbags, and purses, old greeting cards turned into book marks, exhausted dry cell batteries collected and artistically packed to make paperweights, glass holders for drinking hot tea, multicoloured mobiles and hangings all made of cloth scrap after training in cutting and tailoring and knitting etc and beautiful woollen embroidery on rice sacks which are turned into very sturdy and colourful carry bags etc..

Chanda Nikhare who teaches batik and block printing was so proud of showing the briquettes made out of waste paper and dry grasses etc that she uses for melting wax for batik printing, how fallen hair is turned into brushes for painting melted wax on fabric and how she heats the iron to press the finished work on the solar cooker.

Sunderbai from garden staff, showed at least a dozen of organically grown and solar dried vegetables like egg plant, cabbage, cauliflower, fenugreek and herbs like tulsi, turmeric, garlic, lemon grass and many spices, lintels and peas etc. She also shared how they grow all the vegetables and some grains to feed about hundred people throughout the year using, vermiculture, composting of vegetable peels, and other garden and vegetables waste, reuse of wash water and toilet water for irrigation.

Sharmila and Sagri, the solar cooks, explained in detail their cooking experiences in the Institute’s solar kitchen, how it is clean and smoke free, saves money, good for health and is carbon neutral. They also mentioned the use of smaller domestic solar cookers, water heaters and energy efficient light bulbs.

Barli Institute makes sure that as many products as possible are made using bio-degradable materials through innovation and an eco-friendly approach.

Professor A. A. Abbasi, former Vice Chancellor of DAVV University Indore while presiding over said it was the most rewarding experience for him to see the Institute that has created an environment with solar energy so efficiently used here and then the tribal women learn to use it and take to their villages. He commended the vision and dedicated and silent work of Mr. Jimmy McGilligan for his environmental training and untiring efforts is like that of Mahatma Gandhi.

Professor Shirin Mahaltai an economist said that humanity has abused the environment and now we must repair it by making people aware of protecting it. While we only observe Environment Day once a year, we actually need to protect and conserve the environment all year round. Environment Day draws our attention to the importance of the environment and how we have damaged it.

The Director of the Institute, Dr. (Mrs.) Janak McGilligan gave an introduction of the Institute history of the World Environment Day and its importance. She said the Institute has been working on environment education for 23years. She stated that the Institute does not use chemical fertilizers in its field, re-uses water, makes compost, and grows organic food and cooks food on solar for 100 persons during 300 days in a year. The Institute encourages everyone to use of solar energy in cooking. In 1992 Institute was the recipient of UNEPs global 500 Roll of Honour award for its work in the field of eradication of guinea-worms. This work was done in 302 villages of Jhabua district in Madhya Pradesh. The objective of training rural women in environment is aimed at fulfilment of Agenda 21 and Millennium Development Goals.

The program was conducted by Mrs. Dhedi Bagdare and vote of thanks is given by Dr. Geeta Handa.

Dr. (Mrs.) Janak McGilligan

For More Information on Barli Development Institute for Rural Women see http://www.barli.org/

A Good Start to Married Life.

As the 95th training course of Barli Development Institute for rural Women starts and new trainees are arriving from the different rural villages many travelling this far away from their village for the first time.
One couple is quite unique.
Mrs Neha Kanoje (18 Yrs) and Mr. Kiran Kanoje (21 Yrs), from Jharimata village a tribal community in Neewali tehsil of Badwani district in MP, they are just married 1week when they came to Barli on 15th May 2008 for admission of Neha for the 6 month training. Having heard about the training programmes of the institute like Cutting and Tailoring and others skills, imparted for empowering the women through Mrs Vesti bai a graduated trainee of the last 94th training course of the institute, the young husband who is in search of job, has taken the decision to admit his young wife in Barli. He shared that he strongly felt that his wife would be able to enhance her skill in vocational job like cutting and tailoring besides development of her personalities in the process of empowerment at the institute. He told that all their family members including his mother are very happy to send her for the training and will extend full cooperation to her till she completes the graduation.
In the presence of her husband, Mrs. Neha Kanoje expressed her eagerness for joining the institute as she believes the her training at Barli would empower her for enhancing her capability in vocational skill (cutting and tailoring) and later in extending economic support to her family.
Two facts, observed from the above case are.
1. The initiatives of a graduated girl from the institute, for motivating her fellow gender in the community for empowerment through Barli indicates the participatory and sustainable impact in the process of human resources empowerment in the tribal belt
2. The high potential of Barli's activities towards empowerment of poor women with tangible material benefits like income generation and other life skills has adequately sensitized this young couple to enter into this venture without hesitation.
Jimmy McGilligan
Information about Barli Development Institute for Rural Women at http://www.barli.org/

94th Graduation Cermony at Barli Development Institute for Rural Women. Indore

On 6th May 2008 Barli Development Institute for Rural Women held its 94th Graduation Ceremony. 76 trainees graduated after their 6 month training. These young women came from 41 villages in Dhar, Jhabua, Dewas, Khargone, Badwani, Indore, Burahanpur Districts of Madhya Pradesh and Nalanda District of Bihar and Vrindavan of Uttar Pradesh.
A number of the trainees shared their experiences of what they learned during the training and how it will impact their lives
Miss Anita Dawar, 17 from village Ojhad district Jhabua read to the audience a portion from the literacy book to show off her literal skills.
Mrs Vasta Bai Morai from Barwani district, she proudly told the audience, “I am 35 years old married with 4 children all studying in school, My niece after taking training at Barli persuaded me to come
A group led by Lila from Jhabua sang a song they composed, expressing how in their village the people
Miss Jhalla Kirar 19 years old from Mundiva village in Jhabua district shared her experience how she prepared for National Institute of Open Schooling cutting and tailoring exam.
Miss Rekha Snida 16 year old trainee coming from Hargama Nalanda District Bihar, “I was a shy person,
Kavita Panwar 19 from Abhali Village Barwani District shared her experience about Hiv Aids.
Mrs Rekha Chouhan 18 years from Kotha village in Khargone district explained how she learned batik dyeing and printing,
A group led by Miss Kamla sang a song they composed about the importance of being human.
Miss Nundari Chouhan 20 years old from Ojhad village Jhabua expresses the importance of family planning.
Miss Amita Pathak 18 years from Indore highlighted the benefits of using solar energy,
Miss Ritika Permannand 16 years from Vrindavan Vatsalya Dhamin in Uttar Pradesh founded by Sadhvi Ritumbra has given her views how she is going to use utilize her training in the Ashram.
Miss Kristna Baiwal and her friends from Jhabua sang a song which they want to express that one should come out of selfishness and help each other.
Miss Sunita Chouhan 19 from village Palasada in Jhabua district expressed how she has benefitted with literacy,
Miss Balika Pamar 16 from Salitanda village Barwani district spoke on women’s empowerment.
Miss Rita and her friends from Jhabua sang a song, to spread literacy in their communities
Miss Anisa Heravian student from Berkeley University California came to institute as a volunteer.

The Chief Guest of the programme, Dr. Bhumesh Gupta Director, Academic Staff College Devi Ahilya Vishwavidyalaya, University Indore said that the Institute’s training programmes have been developed systematically and replicable. The Institute has developed curricula specific to the needs of rural and tribal women and can be used throughout the country
Mrs.Pritam Sandhu Regional Director, NIPCCD India, presided over the programme. She said” The Institute has taken a holistic approach to training rural, young and illiterate women”
The special guest was Dr. V. Rengarajan a prominent economist and development Consultant from Chennai. He told the audience “The Barli Institute has presented a new approach to community development, which includes social, economic, spiritual, and scientific development”.
Barli Institute Director Dr. (Mrs.) Janak P. McGilligan welcomed the guests and gave an introduction on the Institute. She stated that the Institute was first established as a project in 1st June 1985, under the guidance of the National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha’is of India. It was originally named the Baha’i Vocational Institute for Rural Women.
Present on the dias were, Mr. Jimmy McGilligan, Institutes manager and Dr. (Mrs.) Geeta Handa Member of the Institute’s Board of Directors.
The programme was conducted by Mrs. Dhedi Bagdhare, Programme Officer. Vote of thanks was given by and Dr. (Mrs.) Shirin Mahalati a founding member of the board of directors
For a full report go to http://www.barli.org/News.html

Comments are welcome

Jimmy

March online Edition of Barli Ki Duniya Published

ToDay 5th May the March Edition of Barli Ki Dunyia was put online
Sorry it is a bit on the large size at 1.63Mb for those of you with dialup or slow broadband,
The original file that went for printing was 60mb.
Go to www.barli.org/documents-PDFs/Barli-Ki-Dunia-March08.pdf
or go to http://www.barli.org/ navigate to Our Publications, click on the graphic of Barli Ki Duniya.
Your comments are welcome
Jimmy

New Web Site

Today 16th April Barli Development Institute for Rural Women Launched a new web site http://www.barli.org/
Jimmy