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From dust to dignity — solar training empowers families battling mining-related disease.

Women in Rajasthan’s Mining Belt Become Solar Engineers, Lightening the Darkness Amid Silicosis Crisis.

In Rajasthan’s mining belt, where thousands suffer from silicosis due to years of inhaling toxic dust, women are emerging as a beacon of hope by becoming solar engineers. Santosh Devi, whose husband is bedridden with an incurable illness, trained at Barefoot College in Tilonia alongside seven other women. Despite being illiterate, she learned to install and repair solar panels and lamps, now earning an income to support her four children. Barefoot College has trained over 3,000 women from 96 countries, empowering them with skills amidst scarce jobs and poor healthcare. Many families in the region face similar hardships — low wages, rising medical bills, and widespread illness. Women like Santosh and Champa Devi now bring electricity to rural homes, gaining confidence and independence, even as they struggle with unpaid work and ongoing poverty. Their efforts highlight resilience and the transformative power of solar technology in India’s most vulnerable communities.