Global Clean Water Initiative
Designing for Global Impact: Creating Awareness Through Sustainable Print
Project Type: Print & Marketing Design (Awareness Campaign + Flyer Design)
Project overview
The Global Clean Water Initiative (GCWI) is a California-based conceptual nonprofit focused on providing safe, clean water worldwide. As part of its global expansion into Nigeria, Vietnam, and Mexico, GCWI launched a campaign to raise awareness and recruit volunteers. The goal was to design a visually engaging, culturally resonant flyer for the new Nigeria office — one that educates, inspires, and empowers local communities. The design highlighted the importance of clean water, promoted GCWI’s mission, and encouraged volunteer involvement.
By integrating authentic cultural insights, vibrant visuals, and inclusive messaging, the project reflected Nigeria’s rich traditions while reinforcing GCWI’s global mission of providing sustainable access to clean water. Through cross-cultural research, visual storytelling, and ethical design practices, the flyer was crafted to connect with the audience both emotionally and visually.
Role: Sole Graphic Designer
Deliverables: Print print-ready flyer files, design contract
Tools: Illustrator, Photoshop
Industry: Nonprofit & Environmental Sustainability
Duration: 8/1/2024 - 9/4/2024
Objectives
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Promote awareness of the GCWI’s clean water mission
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Encourage local volunteer participation through a compelling call to action
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Design a culturally sensitive flyer that honors Nigeria’s traditions while maintaining GCWI’s global brand consistency
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Meet production specifications (sustainable materials, non-toxic inks, recycled paper)
Design approach
Reflected Impactful Storytelling
I approached the design with a focus on clarity, compassion, and sustainability. The final visual direction centered around bright blue, green, and yellow hues to symbolize clean water, growth, and optimism, while maintaining a sense of freshness and renewal. I chose a clean sans-serif typeface for readability and used ample white space to create a balanced, welcoming layout that feels both uplifting and approachable.
The imagery featured real-world elements such as flowing water, everyday community life, and local Nigerians, visually grounding the campaign in authenticity and cultural relevance. I incorporated the organization’s tagline—“Building sustainable solutions for clean water in our communities”—as a prominent design element, ensuring the message resonated emotionally while remaining easy to understand across cultures and languages.
Process work
Visual design development
I began by reviewing the organization’s vision statement and call-to-action copy, then using InDesign, I created several layout variations focused on visual hierarchy and readability. Early drafts explored different color combinations inspired by the Nigerian flag to evoke national pride and cultural connection, while maintaining harmony with the overall campaign.
Through multiple iterations and refinements, I adjusted the palette to better align with the Global Clean Water Initiative’s environmental and humanitarian mission, emphasizing bright blues, greens, and yellows to convey a sense of clean water, growth, and optimism while maintaining an uplifting and approachable tone.
Once the final layout was selected, I refined the design using non-toxic ink color profiles and ensured compatibility with recycled coated paper stock per the client’s sustainability requirements. The flyer was prepared as an 8.5” x 11” single-sided print.
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Set document color mode to CMYK to ensure compatibility with eco-friendly, non-toxic inks.
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Applied sustainable ICC color profiles to maintain accurate color on recycled coated stock.
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Limited total ink coverage to prevent oversaturation and reduce environmental impact.
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Selected natural, print-safe hues (bright blues, greens, and yellows) aligned with eco-friendly ink ranges.
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Prepared press-ready PDF/X-1a files optimized for both offset and digital printing.
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Challenges & solutions
Challenge: Designing a piece that resonated with the Nigerian culture while maintaining brand consistency.
Solution: I used universal symbols and imagery—clean water, community connection, and sustainability—to create a globally relatable visual narrative that transcends linguistic barriers.
Challenge: Creating urgency and engagement through a single-page format.
Solution: I emphasized the call-to-action—“Come join our team. All volunteers welcome!”—with bold typography and clear visual placement, while the launch event date was highlighted to encourage immediate participation.
Deliverables
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Print print-ready flyer files optimized for full-color, non-toxic ink)
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Design contract outlining project scope, deliverables, timelines, payment terms, and usage rights, ensuring clear expectations and accountability between designer and client
Outcome & reflection
The final flyer successfully balanced visual appeal, clarity, and environmental responsibility, serving as an accessible outreach tool for communities in Nigeria. The design reinforced GCWI’s mission and created a positive, trust-based connection between the organization and local audiences.
This project strengthened my ability to design for global causes—creating visuals that are both culturally sensitive and universally engaging. It also deepened my understanding of eco-conscious print production, from stock selection to ink sustainability.
Final thoughts
This project reminded me that design can be a bridge between empathy and action. Every color, type choice, and layout decision was made to inspire connection and participation while upholding environmental values.
If expanded further, I’d explore developing a cohesive campaign system including social media graphics, multilingual posters, and digital outreach materials. I’d also consider adding a QR code linking to the volunteer sign-up page or initiative updates, enabling communities to easily learn more and get involved—bridging print and digital engagement for a greater global impact.
Disclaimer
The Global Clean Water Initiative is a nonprofit organization conceptualized by the creative team at Southern New Hampshire University (SNHU) as part of the GRA-340 Typography course, designed solely for educational purposes. Any resemblance to real organizations, campaigns, or services is purely coincidental. This project serves as a visionary exercise in branding and advocacy design—celebrating creativity, compassion, and the global pursuit of clean, sustainable water for all 🌍💧.