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AWF Newsletter No.9 - March 10

AWF volunteers working against the backdrop of the Himalayas.

▼ news & announcements

◄ giving to AWF just got easier

AWF was recently granted fundraising registration in NSW and Victoria.

Exciting news is that because of this we now have secure credit card facilities on our website, so that donations and supporter funds can be made directly through credit card, rather than having to do bank transfers. Please make use of our easy-to-donate facility! This secure facility is powered by GiveNow.com.au.

▼ get involved

AWF is looking for committed volunteers to fill the following roles:

AWF Website Support Volunteer

AWF is seeking a volunteer to assist with website updates. This can be done via email and would require one to two hours a week.

The successful applicant will ideally:

Have experience in editing website content in Joomla or be quick to learn.
Work with AWF staff to update web content.
Be flexible - the work load will vary significantly from one week to the next. Sometimes there will be changes that need to happen quickly, but there may be weeks at a time with nothing to do.
Need to collaborate and liaise with the webmaster, AWF office staff and other volunteers.

To apply please fill out this form.

AWF Newsletter Support Volunteer

AWF is seeking a volunteer to assist with editing our quarterly online newsletter. The newsletter is sent to members, partners and whomever else for the purposes of promoting AWF events, providing timely information about AWF activities and providing project updates.

The successful applicant will ideally:

Work with AWF staff to compile and edit text and images according to a schedule. The editor does not have to generate the content.
Have experience in editing specific to digital media and producing for a HTML format newsletter and website.
Need to collaborate and liaise with the webmaster, branch representatives and AWF office staff and other volunteers.

Production happens on a 4 week production schedule (with some flexibility), and the position would generally take approximately 2 hours per week, but would require a greater time commitment up to 4 hours in the week prior to publication. Due to the volunteer nature of AWF some degree of flexibility will be needed with regards to delivery of material for editing.

To apply please fill out this form.

Summer Internships

AWF had a huge amount of organisational help from four interns over the summer break. We thank greatly: Menno Hoffmann, Brenton Beggs, Ayes Sudhakar and Adele Townsend. They were all dedicated volunteers for two to three days a week over December and into January. Their work is much appreciated by AWF.

▼ volunteer profile

Ayes Sudhakar
Student at Monash University: Arts(Spanish) / Commerce

I wanted to volunteer for AWF mainly to get insight into how a not-for-profit works in Australia. I heard about AWF when I saw a presentation in an special lecture at university. The responsibility of helping alleviate poverty and achieving MDGs needs to be spread out to people of all backgrounds, and this is exactly what I saw in AWF’s work. In my volunteering, I assisted with many different tasks; from researching fundraising license applications to printing and filing various AWF Project documents. I do not come from a design background, but felt that I was able to make a valuable contribution to the running of the organisation. If I can make the time, I will definitely come back and volunteer with AWF during the year.

▼ vietnam update

Measuring site boundaries | brick factory in Dien Ban | Colin and Ro Schroeder from Kianh Foundation | Measuring site boundaries

Paul von Chrismar, from BURO Architecture + Interiors recently returned from a site visit to Dien Ban. BURO is working pro-bono with AWF and the Kianh Foundation to design the Dian Ban Disability Day Centre, which will commence construction in 2010 through a grant from RMIT University.

BURO Architects first started working with AWF on the Dien Ban Disability Day Centre back in early 2009. The Dien Ban project aims to provide a purpose designed education and health facility for children with disabilities in Dien Ban District, Quang Nam Province, Central Vietnam.

For BURO the design process has been a unique one, and has highlighted the often complicated nature of community development projects such as several changes to site location and the need to work remotely.

My trip to Vietnam back in early December was to visit the confirmed site, to meet with those involved with building the centre, and to get an understanding of the community this building will serve. It was my first visit to Vietnam, and although I have travelled through other parts of South East Asia I found Vietnam to be very unique. I experienced an openness and honesty from the people in Hoi An that was heartening. I could see in the people I met a real pride in being Vietnamese that seemed to form the backbone of the strong culture of Hoi An. It was a warm welcome.

My Hoi An site visit allowed the design to be work-shopped with the team that will run this facilty and within the context of the region it will serve. The collaboration with Colin and Ro Schroeder from the Kianh Foundation was invaluable to the design process. It gave me a thorough understanding of local conditions, and our visits to building sites and suppliers around the area added a layer of reality to the design which could not have been done at a drawing board back in Melbourne.

Another unique aspect I have found working on remote projects is the concentration of the time spent on site and the focus applied. When you are on site with a single task in mind it enables you to focus strongly on that task and the design takes on an immediacy that is not found on more conventional projects. As an architect I find this immersion whilst on a site so far from the drawing board can drive a design process which is more real and honest.

As well as working with the Kianh Foundation, BURO will be assisting AWF with an RMIT University studio in January 2010 that forms part of the overall project. We look forward to developing the project over the coming months particularly through the collaboration with RMIT students at our workshop in late January.

▼ nepal expedition

In Gosshing: Drywall construction | painting doors and windows | sawing timber beams | timber framing

For the fourth year AWF joined with OzQuest for the Nepal expedition over 4 weeks from 28 December to 24 January.

This year two groups including architects, students and landscape architects from across Australia and overseas participated in the expedition. Four Nepali architecture students from Nepal Engineering College, sponsored by Hayball Pty Ltd Architects, also joined the expedition.

After two introductory days in Kathmandu, followed by a long bus ride, we arrived at Bhulbhule - a small village at the start of the Annapurna circuit. From here the groups hiked to the villages where they were to work – Gosshing and Siurung.

In Gosshing we completed more work on a school that was commenced during the 2008 / 2009 expedition – working alongside local tradesmen assisting with drywall construction, timber work and painting. We were welcomed into the community and enjoyed tent accommodation and warm hospitality.

In Siurung: Excavation of footings | drywall commencing | building formwork for concrete | final day on site

Both groups participated in the construction work in the village of Siurung, working on the construction of a new kindergarten. Prior to departure design workshops were held to design the kindergarten. The design was modified on site due to the excavation works undertaken by the village and site conditions. In Siurung we assisted the local tradesmen in drywall construction, concreting, site set out and excavation.

On their return to Kathmandu the groups visited the Nepal Engineering college to see architecture education in Nepal and further build on ties between AWF, OzQuest and Nepal Engineering College. Future expeditions will see a greater involvement with Nepal engineering college.

Applications are now open for the Nepal expedition in December 2010 through January 2011. For further information please contact This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

▼ anganwadi update

5 AWF volunteers have travelled to Ahmedabad since September 2009 for the second building season of the project. During that time, 2 volunteers conducted a very comprehensive post-occupancy report of Bholus 1-7 (which were completed between 2007-2010) identifying strategies for the 2010 building season. AWF volunteers, Jillian Hopkins and Jesus Porres–Montrasino are currently in Ahmedabad and will stay in India to oversee construction of the 3 current projects.

The AWF anganwadi project leader, Jane Rothschild, travelled to Ahmedabad in February 2010 to see the 5 anganwadi completed last season, meet with Manav Sadhna, and visit the Bholu 8, 9 and 10 sites.

Bholu 8

Bholu 8 is nearing completion and incorporates beautiful colourful woven screens of colourful ‘katlo’ (or woven panels used as beds in the slums) as well as a garden of donated plants, a swing, and a brand new septic system.

Bholu 9

Bholu 9 has been designed, documented and costed and will commence construction in the next few weeks. The pre-school is on a large site adjoining a public space and will also be used as women’s health centre. It incorporates a large water tank to collect roof water and a gray water filtering system which will serve as an educational model. A ‘pot wall’ has been designed for the rear wall as well as decorative breeze block ventilations systems for the school itself.

The purchase of the site for Bholu 10 is currently in the final negotiations.

◄ anganwadi fundraiser

Pictures from the Anganwadi Shakedown

Architects Without Frontiers and their friends met on Wednesday 9th December for the Anganwadi Shakedown - Indian inspired festivities to raise building funds for preschools in Ahmedabad, India. The event aimed to raise the $2500 needed to build one slum school but to our great delight the rowdy raffle, cover charge and fabulous silent auction helped to raise $3500!

Held at Cafe Lounge, volunteers transformed the venue into a tantalising taste of India, decorated with flowers, incense, hanging lanterns and hindu deities. The venue was generously supplied free of charge for the event. The relaxed evening was complimented by Coco’s spicey Indian music, a delicious beef curry, a host of amazing prizes and the generous good vibes of guests and sponsors (now listed on www.anganwadiproject.com).

Thanks especially to Jane (AWF) and Jodie (Bholu) for inspiring us, to Wendy and Sarah for superb organisational skills and to Meeray and Bel for supplying breathtaking artwork. Event organiser Jillian Hopkins is currently in India at the end of December to start work on anganwadi preschool number 10. If you are wondering “angan-what?!” check out www.anganwadiproject.com.

If you would like to make a donation please contact This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

◄ anganwadi swim

Fahmi Ahmad-Yussof was a volunteer on the Anganwadi project in 2008/09. Although he was unable to volunteer this year he still wanted to make a contribution, so he raised funds for the project by completing a 1.6km open water swim at Rottnest Island in Western Australia. This raised $920 towards the Anganwadi project. Great effort Fahmi!