Overview

India’s construction industry was valued at over 3.5 trillion Indian rupees in the fourth quarter of 2023 , making it the second largest employment generator in the country with 71 million workers currently employed. This workforce is projected to exceed 100 million by 2030, according to a Knight Frank-RICS report. Despite this significant contribution, working conditions for construction labourers remain challenging. The precarious nature of the unorganised workforce is a critical issue that Project ShramA, under Arcause, aims to address.

ShramA’s initiatives highlight the severe lack of awareness among construction workers about the basic welfare benefits they are eligible for through formal registration. This gap is a key reason why the sector remains largely informal. By focusing on inclusion, dignity, and empowerment, ShramA seeks to uplift the lives, livelihoods, and living conditions of construction workers, ensuring they meet basic standards of social justice. This, in turn, will foster a more prosperous and equitable construction industry.

ShramA- one of the pillars of the Ethos Foundation, under Arcause is aimed at uplifting the lives of construction workers through three core pillars:

Project Inclusion: extensive interviews to gather data on the lived experiences of construction workers, ensuring their voices are heard and included in the broader narrative.

Project Dignity: documenting and sharing the wisdom and skills of these workers through video lessons, highlighting their invaluable contributions and knowledge in the construction industry as subject matter experts.

Project Empowerment: Organise workshops that offer construction workers upskilling opportunities, promoting holistic well-being both professionally and personally.

Together, these pillars strive to create a more inclusive, dignified, and empowered community of construction workers, recognising and elevating their essential role in building our world.
After a successful pilot in 2023, the project this year, supported by Saint-Gobain India Pvt. Ltd is focused on the three states- Maharashtra, Gujarat and Rajasthan, and is brought to you by Ethos Foundation.

We are inviting applications from interested fellows, together with whom we can work on the goal of bringing visibility to the Hands that Build.

Arcause ShramA Fellowship 2.0:

Visibility for the Hands that Build

Fellowship objectives :

Target Cities: Pune, Nasik, Kolhapur, Nagpur, Ahmedabad, and Jaipur.

Inclusion – Arcause ShramA Fellowship :

• A total of 20 fellowships are offered,
  with 3 each from Pune, Nashik, Kolhapur, and Nagpur, and
  4 each from Ahmedabad and Jaipur.
• Engage in extensive surveys and focus group discussions to understand and document the lives of construction workers, making them feel included in the ACED community.
• This year, we aim to gather at least 400 responses across six cities, in Maharashtra, Gujarat, and Rajasthan.   

Dignity – Arcause ShramA Fellowship :

• A total of 10 fellowships are offered,
  6 in Maharashtra, and 2 each from Gujarat and Rajasthan.
• Document the wisdom and techniques of construction workers through video recordings.
• Create 20 videos highlighting construction techniques and know-hows, directly explained by the workers on-site.

Benefits:

Find the details in the brief linked below.

Who can apply

Inclusion – Arcause ShramA Fellowship :

• Strong background in architecture and/or construction, preferred but not mandatory
• Familiarity with site visits
• Excellent communication skills, adept at connecting with construction workers effectively
• Fluency in the respective regional language and English
• Reporting abilities

Dignity – Arcause ShramA Fellowship :

• Strong background in architecture/construction, preferred but not mandatory
• Intermediate visual framing and composition skills
• Prior experience in video documentation
• Fluency in the respective regional language/s and English
• Effective on-site communication
• Ability to execute storyboards proficiently

How to apply

1. The applicant should register on the website.
2. Fill in the application form.
3. Paste the link of your resume, works if any in required sections.
4. The resume should be compiled as a single pdf of size less than 5MB.
5. A review panel will select the fellows after telephonic and personal interviews.
6. The selected fellows will be mailed the MoUs and on their acceptance the names will be put up on the website. 

Impact

Through this fellowship, you will contribute to a deeper understanding of the construction sector, elevate the dignity of labourers, and empower them through education and skill development. Your efforts will help bridge the gap between designers and builders, fostering a more inclusive and respectful construction community.

“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.”