Malala Fund
Amplifying networks and supporting a mission where girls can learn and lead
Role
UX design
Visual design
Motion design
The Challenge
Malala Fund doesn’t build schools, they build networks. This is at the core of their mission in advancing equality in education for all girls. Our challenge was to better tell this story on their digital platforms to bring clarity and transparency on how donation funds are directed, and expose the impact of their work through advocacy and amplifying girls’ stories.
Solution
A website that supports each audience—from donors to students, to journalists and researchers. After thorough examination of site architecture and user flows, I guided the UX strategy of simplifying navigation and focusing architecture to better serve these audiences by highlighting the main pillars of the organization’s work: advocacy, research, and programs. By showcasing the Education Champion Network, the site demonstrates Malala Fund’s approach to girls’ education by investing in activists in local communities.
Result
30% increase in digital fundraising; 300% increase in submissions and 20% increase in readership for Malala Fund’s digital publication, Assembly.
Building the network
Working with the two principles at Language Dept., one of the first sections we re-architected and designed was the Education Champions Network. After stakeholder interviews and research into Malala Fund’s work and approach, we learned that the Champion Network is what sets apart Malala Fund from other organizations. We wanted to bring this mission forward by celebrating the network of local activists and showcasing each Champion.
We introduced filtering functionality to make finding education champions easier by country, as well as approaches to work. I designed dedicated pages for each Champion to highlight the issues they are working on, showcase their impact, and communicate updates in progress.
A visual language of pattern and icons
Patterns, color, and abstracted floral icons help to visually connect 57 Education Champions to 8 countries, giving identity to each of the geographic areas of focus while revealing the interconnectivity of the network.
Responding to the moment
Our work with Malala Fund began in-person in March of 2020. As the world quickly changed, our collaboration with their team went virtual, and the organization focused their work on responding to the immediate challenges facing girls’ education due to Covid-19. Responding with comprehensive research, Malala Fund outlined objectives to address the immediate and long-term implications of the pandemic in a three year plan, highlighting local organizations that are doing on-the-ground work.
I created an animation for the Covid-19 Initiative microsite using graphic brand elements and quotes to stand in for the 20 million girls who may never return to school due to the pandemic. This work, not planned for in our strategy work for the organization at the onset of project initiation, resulted in the largest end-of-year fundraising totals in the past four years.
Amplifying the next generation of activists
One of the main pillars of work at Malala Fund is helping to amplify the voices of the next generation. Inspired by Malala’s own activist work starting at the age of 11, the organization created Assembly, a digital publication and newsletter that gives a voice to the stories of girls from around the world.
Designing a fresh new look and feel to connect with current trends and providing translations in 8 languages was vital in attracting global Gen Z readers and creating an inclusive platform. The new site resulted in a 300% increase in submissions and has won Gold at the Anthem Awards.
