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Giving Rwandan youth a voice
Ni Nyampinga
Ni Nyampinga is a nationwide movement that aims to give young Rwandan people the confidence and support they need to thrive. It’s part of Girl Effect, a non-profit that empowers girls to make choices about their health, education, and economic future. With the desire for a stronger digital presence, we adapted the brand to live across multiple platforms while retaining relevance and authenticity to its audiences.
- Brand development
- Brand guidelines
- Social content
The need to adapt
The Ni Nyampinga magazine had real character but wasn’t fit for purpose across digital spaces. We needed to move things forward by shifting focus from a printed publication to a multi-platform brand. That meant being sensitive to Rwandan culture by retaining what made Ni Nyampinga so well-known and loved, while making the brand thrive across new channels.
Youth culture and the media landscape in Rwanda is changing fast. Increased digital access is opening up young people to a world of high-end global content and ideas.”
Insight from the source
Ni Nyampinga is a big part of Rwandan youth culture, with 80% of people aware that it helps girls achieve their potential. Seeing the brand in action was vital, so our Associate Creative Director, Johanna Drewe, spent a week visiting Rwanda. To understand how to meet everyone’s needs, she interviewed content creators, spent time at Ni Nyampinga clubs and audited the brand.
Real, relevant and representative
Ni Nyampinga tells real stories of Rwandan girls and represents positivity and potential in everything it does. It was important to build on the strengths of the core identity. Any changes needed to reflect the vibrant culture of the audience, not a withdrawn, westernised view of the country. Our work had to maintain existing connections while helping the brand forge new ones with Rwandan youth.
Connecting through colour
The old colour palette performed well in print but didn’t translate into digital platforms, so we adapted it to work harder across all channels. Each colour was carefully chosen – from the vibrant red of the country’s soil, to charcoal tones found in Rwandan artwork. Illustrated patterns, rooted in the craft of traditional woven baskets, break up content but remain familiar.
Capturing moments
Ni Nyampinga needed a wider variety of imagery to tell stories in different ways. Working with the brand’s photographers, we developed four different image types. This guidance gives content creators options to explore. It also makes it possible to tell stories while protecting the girls’ identities when required.
A kit of many parts
The brand’s toolkit is robust but playful enough to express all Ni Nyampinga content in the most appropriate way, based on the audience it’s trying to reach and the touchpoint it appears on. It’s as comfortable on social media as in print. Dynamic across a responsive website or at a live event. The updated brand provides freedom to represent the energy of Rwandan youth culture without boundaries.
A social spotlight
Although the situation is evolving, access to mobile devices is currently limited in Rwanda. Ni Nyampinga uses its social platforms to share shortform stories with stakeholders. It’s a great way to showcase the flexibility of the brand and put a spotlight on the brilliant work being done.
Helping Ni Nyampinga thrive
Output’s work will play a significant role in the continued expansion of the Ni Nyampinga brand. The team were flexible in approach, accommodating of our investment level and committed to help move our brand forward in the most appropriate way.”
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