SUPPORTING SURVIVORS OF SEAH - S2S
The Supporting Survivors of SEAH Programme (S2S) programme is an 18-month, FCDO UK-funded programm. In 2022, Social Development Direct contracted Wona to develop a Communications Strategy for the S2S programme as well as communications materials to be used for the duration of the programme. Due to the sensitivity of programs that work with victims and survivors Wona assured that any communications materials created were not triggering, we used illustrations instead of photos for the design assets to avoid associating any specific women with the Survivor Support fund, we also ensured that the strategy works to adequately inform all stakeholders.
Services: Logo Design, Slide Deck Design, Social Media Assets, Stationery Design
The Brief
Social Development Direct (SDDirect) is a leading provider in gender equality and social inclusion technical assistance and research. They commissioned Wona Collective to develop communications materials and branding for their Supporting Survivors of Sexual Exploitation and Harassment (S2S) Program. Funded by the Foreign Commonwealth Development Organisation (FCDO), the eighteen-month program aimed to identify best practices for supporting survivors of sexual exploitation and harassment (SEAH). Specifically, by utilising survivor-centred approaches to address financial and social barriers to survivors’ help seeking.
The program drew on lessons learnt relating to the Survivors Support Fund – a component of a previous FCDO funded program: Tithetse Nkhanza. As well as insights from working with various stakeholders including the Ministry of Gender, ODA actors and frontline providers of SEAH response including the police, judiciary and healthcare workers.
Goals
Our goal was to create strategic communications and a brand identity from a feminist lens that were survivor-centred, accessible and inclusive. Key to this approach was recognising and reflecting the intersectional nature of our target audiences and curating communications that respected and honoured their identities.
This included creating inclusive and feminist key messaging for each stakeholder that promoted the Survivors Support Fund to target communities.
The Process
As consultants, we employed an inclusive research and implementation process. Some key aspects of this process included engaging in dialogues with women’s rights organisations to inform the development of messaging and communications. To ensure inclusivity, we translated and contextualised key messages into Chichewa and Tumbuka.
Central to our communication strategy was the careful selection of informed language choices. For instance, following consultations with Women’s Rights Organizations, we introduced the term “Opulumuka ku Nkhanza” (Survivor of violence) to be used in conjunction with “Ochitiridwa Nkhanza” (Victim of Violence). The use of more nuanced language regarding the identity of key stakeholders was integral to our feminist approach. Our strategy aimed to ensure that language was not only appropriate for diverse audiences but also highlighted a community-oriented perspective, amplifying community settings, efforts, and care.
Our design choices were guided by this feminist approach and the program’s sensitivity. Consequently, we opted for illustrations over photographs to safeguard the identities of beneficiaries. These illustrations, created by creatives within our collective, underscore a brand identity centred on survivors.
The Products
The final products included a communications strategy with key messaging for targeted stakeholders and a communication plan for the S2S program. Our team of creatives also designed communications materials including branding for the program, re-designed the organisation’s theory of change and financial guidelines to match branding and include illustration, and communication materials such as banners and posters.
