The Shelter Project


Vision

The Foundation works to progress the philanthropic & charitable legacy of Sher Khan to the present day, building high quality homes for impoverished individuals and families. We love seeing the smiles on the faces of those we help.

Our model home typically comprises of two versatile rooms, a kitchen, and a bathroom. All residences are constructed with brick and feature concrete floors, ensuring durability. The Foundation also adheres to guidance and standards set by the UK National House Building Council whenever feasible, considering constraints related to the accessibility of local building materials.

Considering land restrictions, our usual construction cost for each home falls within £3800, with any money left over then given to the family to purchase essentials such as kitchen utensils, furniture, and clothes. The end goal is to put the recipients on a good footing to start progressing and bettering their lives.  

Architectural designs and details regarding our construction methods, along with before and after photos of previously built homes can be seen below.

Our Design

Front Elevation

The Sher Khan Foundation adopts standardised design and construction methods ensuring homes are built to last. We typically aim for a standard of build where the main home should last for upwards of 80 years, and the roof for upwards of 20 years, before any structural work is required. 

Side Elevation

Each home is typically one storey high with walls constructed of brick, and rendered with sand and waterproof cement to give the wall a smooth finish. The walls are then painted with a colour chosen by the new home owner to encourage their sense of ownership and dignity. 

Rear Elevation

All homes have entry and exit doors at the rear for ease of access to land at the back of the home. Typically this is where we would install a hand water well for the household to utilise, if they do not otherwise have access to clean fresh water. 

Floor Plan

Each home consists of two multi-purpose rooms with a kitchen and bathroom at the rear. The Foundation also includes a varanda to the front to allow for residents to relax and enjoy the warm breeze during the Summer. This also promotes community cohesion with neighbours and local people passing by. 

Our Construction Methods

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Reinforced Concrete

The homes we construct are built to last. The concrete that is used in the structural elements of our buildings is always reinforced with metal rods (rebar).

The aim of using rebar is to help increase the tensile strength of concrete, and as a result help our homes withstand bending, torsion, and shearing loads. This is extremely important in an earthquake prone country such as Bangladesh.

The associated photo is of a reinforced concrete pad for a support pillar.

Waterproof Cement

We at the Foundation pride ourselves on using superior quality products for each of our builds. We are in this for the long run, and are all about raising standards of quality.

We work with leading national and international manufacturers and suppliers to source quality products for all of our projects. Where given an option, we will always select the most durable and industrial grade materials to build with. We exclusively employ waterproof cement for all structural elements of the home.

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DPM-1

Damp Proof Membrane

Bangladesh is an extremely wet and humid country and to ensure the longevity of newly built homes and the comfort of its inhabitants, a damp proof membrane (shown in blue in the associated image) is placed under the concrete floor to stop moisture ingress which can cause multiple issues with the structure of the home.  

 

Coated Metal

As the longevity of our homes is of utmost importance, we ensure that all exposed metal is either powder coated, or painted in rustproof paint to protect it from the elements. 

The recipients of the home are given a choice of colours to pick from, the Foundation does this to contribute towards a sense of pride for the new home owners. 

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Our Impact