SHAPE: Brand Identity & Audience Strategy for NGO in Saint Helena

SHAPE (Saint Helena's Active Participation in Enterprise) is the island's only social enterprise supporting people with disabilities through training, craft, and sustainable work opportunities. Founded in 2006, they provide a safe, inclusive environment where people develop skills, confidence, and independence, while producing traditionally inspired crafts using local, organic materials wherever possible. After 20 years with their original logo, they reached out to me to create a new brand identity.

The Design Process

I started by gathering input directly from the workers, including people with cognitive and physical disabilities. I collected their answers, looked for the connections and the words that kept coming up, and used those as the foundation for the design process. I created different prototypes based on what emerged, and from there the identity took shape (pun intended).

The logo is round, organic, and geometrical, composed of multiple shapes that can be interpreted in different ways. That multiplicity was intentional as I wanted to reflect the complexity of the organization and its beauty, without making it feel complicated. Depending on how you look at it, you can see a bird, a person, a mirrored image or reflection, a flower, or a butterfly.

The colors were chosen to echo the previous logo's red, orange and yellow, but with more depth and range. I wanted the identity to feel professional while still carrying the joy of the organization and the work they do. Each color was selected to reflect a part of SHAPE's identity and values.

The organization didn't have a clear tagline for the public, and while their mission and vision existed, they weren't well communicated online. I created the line "Opportunities for all abilities." It's short, clear, and positive, and it keeps the scope broad without losing focus.

Connecting Makers to Buyers

One of the things I advised was to feature the workers as the makers and creatives behind the products. I called them SHAPE Makers and encouraged the team to create short profiles with photos for the website, so people could see who was making what they were buying. I also designed a simple card with a space for the artisan to write their name and a QR code linking back to their profile on the website. It adds a personal touch and fits the audience they serve: people who care about society, inclusivity, and sustainability.

For the packaging of their soaps, syrups, jewelry, and crafts, I made the island name prominent so tourists would immediately recognize the products as authentic Saint Helena souvenirs, appealing both to sustainability-minded buyers and to people looking for something meaningful to take home.

Beyond the visual identity, I advised on a full redesign of their web and digital presence. I provided templates for online posts, created a visual mock-up of the website with a proposed site map and structure, and developed a communication plan tailored to their different audiences: the local community, government funders, and tourists.

Digital Presence & Communication Plan

How the identity was introduced mattered just as much as the design itself. Keeping the SHAPE Makers in mind, the team held a private, intimate gathering with the workers and their families. They unveiled the logo alongside the storytelling of all its interpretations, and people did arts and crafts using the new colors and shapes to decorate their café and other buildings. It gave everyone a chance to make the identity their own before it went public. Afterwards, they held a larger celebration on the grounds for the whole island, with activities, joy, and even a radio announcement, which is a popular medium there.

The identity is now used across all their products, their café, and every other instance of branding. It remains the only rebranding SHAPE has had in two decades. I feel a deep sense of gratitude for the organization to let me interpret their labor, and cannot be happier with the reception of the new look and feel, and how they are making it their own.

SHAPE is a small organization doing remarkable work on an island most people will never visit. If their mission resonates with you, visit their website to learn more, support their products, or simply to share their story :)