Flip the Switch - A documentary

Barefoot College is a leading social enterprise working in nearly 100 countries, creating a women-centred global network dedicated to sustainable development in poorer rural parts of the world. The social enterprise trains women to become solar engineers, innovators, educators, and entrepreneurs who then return to their villages to bring renewable and inexpensive sources of energy to their communities.

In 2016, Hogan Lovells entered in to a three-year partnership with Barefoot College to empower women and girls globally. The partnership aims to bring clean, renewable light to 200,000 more families by training 400 women – known as Solar Mamas - across Asia, Africa, Latin America and the Pacific Islands. The documentary shows the impact that these skills are having on the lives of Solar Mamas and their families, enabling women to build businesses, become self-sufficient and harness their skills to provide a life-changing resource to their villages.

The film aims to inspire impactful collaborations focused on making a better world for all, and we envision it to act as a magnet that attracts others from around the world to create the force necessary for real change. The film showcases real examples of the valuable work that Barefoot College are doing to address many of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), including efforts to alleviate poverty, climate change, and gender inequality.

The film had its first private screening at BAFTA alongside a high level panel discussion featuring senior executives from Vodafone, Standard Chartered Bank and Lloyds Banking Group, as well as Lord McConnell, Chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on the SDGs.  The film is helping us to bring global awareness to the work of Barefoot College and to date has received 'Official Selection' status at seven international film festivals.

We invite you to watch the film and share it with those around you and together we can #flipthe switch.