Project Architect Tumpa Fellows has been selected for the 2017 RIBAJ Rising Stars cohort - the awards recognise the talents of architects and designers in the early stages of their careers who are making a difference in the built environment.

Entrants were judged on their original thinking, leadership, collaborative approach and hard work by a panel of judges including Mary Duggan of Mary Duggan Architects and John Nordon of PegasusLife. 

The judges recognised Tumpa's work with the Mannan Foundation Trust - a charity she co-founded with her mother and two sisters to help disadvantaged people in the remote village of Rajapur in Bangladesh. Recent projects include the Rajapur Women’s Literacy and Healthcare Centre which aims to empower local women by providing income generation and literacy skills, as well as free healthcare.

Tumpa ensured the local community was involved from the very beginning of the project, leading a team of volunteers through workshops and adopting simple building techniques with the aim of instilling self-sufficiency.

The project also tackles social issues, including the fact that most girls in rural Bangladesh do not continue education beyond the age of 11 by encouraging the women to play a central role in the construction process by producing rammed earth wall blocks at home.

Overall, the judges praised Tumpa for "having it all – natural leadership, a collaborative mindset, energy, social awareness and a hard-working attitude."