What’s new at Ethos Foundation?
Monsoon 24
Gita Balakrishnan is Retiring ??!!
I’ll now focus on building Ethos Foundation, an NGO dedicated to social causes and architects’ social responsibility. With a terrific team in place, I am confident we’ll steer this new venture to greater heights. The journey continues, and I look forward to seeing Ethos flourish under new leadership while I dedicate myself to this new mission.”
Whats New?
Empower learners with Universal Design
The course “Universal Design for the Built Environment: A Teacher’s Guide” is ideal for educators, and professionals within the ACED community, providing valuable insights for educators to guide learners at all levels in applying Universal Design to their design and research endeavors. Join us now, and play a pivotal role in driving accessibility as a leading principle for an inclusive built environment!
Win Rs.1L Grant for your Innovative Idea
Do you have an idea that can bring about meaningful change and positively impact the built or unbuilt environment around you? Do you have an idea that addresses the need of the hour that is practical and implementable? If your concept can drive economic growth, foster innovation and unite communities, or if it’s an idea for a scalable startup that meets the current or future needs within the ACED fields, the Saint-Gobain Grants Programme is the perfect platform to bring your vision to life!
ShramA Fellowship 2.0
Are you passionate about social change and community empowerment? Ethos Foundation invites you to be a part of ShramA Fellowship 2.0, expanding across 6 cities in West India – Pune, Nasik, Kolhapur, Nagpur, Ahmedabad, and Jaipur. This fellowship focuses on inclusion, dignity, and empowerment of construction workers.
This is an opportunity to make a meaningful impact and gain invaluable experience
Arcause Bridge Winners Announced!
29 Scholarships Awarded! This scholarship was designed to help students facing challenges in pursuing their dreams in architecture and design. If you missed out this time, stay tuned for more opportunities in the future. Registration officially closed on August 11th.Thank you for being part of this journey!
Design Legally: Enroll with Project UDita!
Are you designing against the law? According to the Rights of Persons with Disability Act (2016) (Section 44), it is now against the law to build public buildings that are not inclusive or Universal Design compliant. But fear not – Project UDita’s self-paced online course on ‘Universal Design for the Built Environment: Beyond Ramps and Railings’ has got you covered! Tailored for students, teachers, architects, and professionals in the ACED community, this course dives deep into the legal landscape while equipping you with practical insights into Universal Design Principles. Don’t miss your chance to design for inclusivity.
36 Colleges Win
Rs. 20,000 each!
Guess what? 36 colleges just hit the jackpot! They’ve bagged FREE incentives worth Rs. 20,000 from Saint-Gobain for their stellar participation in Transparence 18.0. From Acedge Membership to Collaborative Studio Access and Faculty Development Programs, these incentives are all about turbocharging growth and innovation in architectural education. Ready to level up your institution’s educational experience? Join the excitement and grab your share of these amazing opportunities
Spotlights!!
Skill Upgradation workshop in Lucknow!
In May 2024, Ethos Foundation, in partnership with the Lucknow Architects Association and AKTU’s Faculty of Architecture and Planning, hosted a transformative workshop on Lime Restoration for construction workers. The event featured an enlightening seminar and hands-on demonstrations at Qaiserbagh, immersing participants in traditional restoration techniques. To engage the shramiks from various parts of Lucknow and India, an interactive exhibition on the ShramA Project pilot was displayed. This was followed by ShramA-Q, a lively quiz testing participants’ knowledge. The workshop concluded with a certificate ceremony, enhancing technical skills and fostering a deeper appreciation for heritage conservation.
Empowerment Workshops in Mumbai and Pune
Empowerment workshops in Mumbai and Pune were designed for construction workers, covering financial management, budgeting, savings, and reading architectural drawings. An interactive display presented data on migration, amenities access, working hours, gender disparity, accident awareness, income, and resource rights, based on the Inclusion Survey. Collaborations with Jan Sahas, Basera, and Learn NGOs ensured impactful, informative sessions, leaving participants empowered and informed.
Get Inspired!!
Celebrating the Builders: Sense N Sensibility 14.0
Ethos Foundation’s Sense N Sensibility 14.0, a key event of the ShramA – Shramik Action initiative, celebrated the unsung heroes of construction. This unique SNS discussion, led by construction workers, aimed to honour their crucial role in the industry. One of the construction workers is Mrs. Sunita Devi, a Rani Mistri and a dedicated social worker, honoured with the Nari Shakti Puraskar 2018 for her remarkable contributions to the local construction industry. She formed a self-help group for women called Vikas Aajeevika, and under the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan, she trained 1,600 women as masons and constructed 100 toilets in her village, raising awareness about the critical issue of open defecation.
Feature of the Month!!
Innovative Housing:
SG Grant Winner
Sowmiya Pathak and Abhishek Dhar, winners of the SG Grants 23-24, are addressing the critical issue of poor living conditions for on-site construction workers. Their innovative prototype for construction workers’ housing offers an easy assembling and dismantling process, allowing for replication at various locations. Their design aims to improve the cramped and unsanitary conditions often faced by these workers, fostering better social connections and providing much-needed sanitation solutions.
What our Fellows are saying
“It is important for us to understand who we are working for. just like that it is more important to understand who is working for us, on our sites- our construction workers. learned a lot through the ShramA Fellowship.”
Bhavana Bhat
ShramA 2023
“I thoroughly enjoyed working on the course, which also brought in a lot of learning for me. Thank you again for the opportunity to contribute to this meaningful project. Hoping that the impact of Project UDita would ripple through the AEC Industry and beyond, to make the dream of inclusive public spaces a reality in our built environment. ”
Rama Raghavan
UDita Fellowship
“ShramA Fellowship helped me in unearthing various stories of the hands that build our dreams. It was a unique opportunity to go on the field and talk to these people and understand what they go through every day. Its disheartening to see that no one dreams to be a construction labourer but is doing the work because of no choice.”
Mandar
ShramA 2023
I participated in the Walk for Arcause Fellowship, where I walked for a cause for four days along with Ar. Gita Balakrishnan. “My fellowship experience pushed my boundaries, and allowed me to connect with the different human stories that stay behind the scenes of the elements and structures we see and spaces we live in.”
Dhanushya
Walk for Arcause 2023
Ignite your Mind!!
From the hands
that build
In this video series, “Learning from the hands that build,” we explore a wide range of building techniques, from traditional masonry to modern Mivan Aluminium Formwork. Watch the videos as our shramiks share insights on various construction systems and materials
Universal Design for the Built Environment
Learn how to make spaces accessible for all. Check out our UDita course playlist on YouTube. Discover practical tips and insights on creating inclusive environments for everyone, regardless of ability or age. Join us on this journey to build a more accessible and equitable world.