The Anganwadi Project Australian volunteers building one school at a time

Ciara Tapia-Toms

Jan 2012 - April 2012 (Team 3 - Season 3)

M.Arch

Ciara’s passion for sustainable design and architecture, combined with her love affair of world travel and adventure, has brought her to work for the Anganwadi Project.

After graduating from University of Technology, Sydney, Ciara initially worked in the Sydney architectural firm, Turner Associates. Ciara later joined Tektum Future Housing Solutions, a firm specialising in prototype sustainable and affordable modular housing.

Ciara’s approach to design embraces the reuse and recycle of materials, delivering innovative and genuine concepts to each of her projects. In Ciara’s eyes, the opportunity for her to put these skills into practice and help communities abroad is an opportunity of a life time.

Kah-Fai Lee

Jan 2011 - Apr 2011 (Team 2 - Season 3)

Kah-Fai is an architect with experience in various areas of architecture including education, public works, housing, health and hospitality. He has worked in different practices across Australia, in the UK and Asia. Kah-Fai is passionate about developing building and architecture to support public education at all levels. Working on Bholu 10 has enabled Kah-Fai to further facilitate this interest in education and community participation.

He has particularly enjoyed the ‘hands-on’ approach required to complete the Bholu projects, together with developing the strong relationships with Manav Sadhna and the local community

Jillian Hopkins

Jan 2010 - Apr 2010 (Team 3 - Season 2)

B Architecture (Hons 1) UNSW.

Jillian is an architect, artist and jeweller, with a passion for public spaces, education and working with recycled materials. She has recently returned from four months teaching drawing and art at a children’s library in the Guatemalan coastal town of Livingston, where she also discovered marionette making, mural art and the creative energy of children. Before this life changing adventure, she worked for 3 years at the City of Sydney Council, managing the design of a diverse range of public projects, including public plazas, libraries, town halls, youth centres and amenities. She also sells her eclectic hand made garbage jewellery and 100% recycled children’s toys in her own business, Jilded.

In her work Jillian is an innovative designer, diplomatic communicator and calm and resourceful project manager. In life she is a pilgrim, a lover of people and languages, and a keen adventurer. She lives by her own advice, to walk when she can, say yes to everything and always make time for chai. She will be volunteering in the Anganwadi project in Gujarat, India from January 2010.

Adele Winteridge

Jan 2009 - Feb 2009 (Project Leader - Team 2 - Season 2)

Adele is currently the Interior Design Programme Co-coordinator/Lecturer at the The Whitehouse School of Design in Sydney. She also is studying a Masters of Sustainable Development at UNSW and has a BA Interior Architecture from Curtin University. She is an interior designer, set designer and film maker with a passion for travel. Adele has a great sense of leadership, organization and a passion for making things happen. Adele will be making a film of the whole process from beginning to end of her time volunteering on the AWF Anganwadi Project. Adele is also the NSW AWF Coordinator. Adele designed and co-ordinated the build of Bholu 7 School.

“It was an amazing experience, that I would not trade for the world. I think everyone MUST do it! Every person has the ability to make a difference and has the opportunity to bring something new to the project with personality, interaction and communication. Thank you for allowing me to partake.”

Rafael Urquiza

Sept - Oct 2009 - (Team 1 - Season 2)

Rafael graduated in 2005 from the University of Granada, Spain, and completed his final thesis in Italy at the Università degli Studi Roma Tre.

Since then, his professional life has been running between academia and practice. He completed a two-year Doctorate program at the University of Málaga and a Post-graduate Masters at the University of Melbourne. Currently, he is a PhD candidate with his dissertation called “New Sustainable Digital Geometries”. Simultaneously, he has worked and studied in Spain, Italy, USA, UK including Gumuchdjian Architects in London, and now Australia. In early 2008 Rafael co-founded [G+U]architects, an international design practice (Melbourne-Málaga-Chile).Currently they are working in several projects overseas including the design of a bioclimatic-sustainable house in New Hope Ph in the US.

Rafa will be working in a team with Jesus Porras Montesino and will be faced with the challenges of designing, building and working in India slums during the monsoon season.

“I really enjoyed this experience as an architect, but specially as a human being… it has been wonderful. Fom my point of view, “Seva” is the clearest way to happiness. Thank you very much for your support and for giving us this opportunity to serve.”