In rural Sarawak, Barefoot Mercy delivers the gift of light and knowledge

BFM helps communities in rural Sarawak with electricity and education. — Photos: Barefoot Mercy

BOLSTERED by a desire to address the stark urban and rural divide in Sarawak, three women – Anna Wee, Doreen Ho and Elaine Chan – started Barefoot Mercy (BFM) in 2011 to do two things: rural electrification and building community education centres.

“I remember a passion so intense that the three of us plunged into it without resources or experience. But we have different skill sets and we learned to lean on each other’s strengths,” says Wee in an email interview.