BRANDING

Creating a safe space to talk about sex

BRANDING

In Kenya, cultural barriers make it difficult for young people to talk openly about sex. Stigma, taboos and gender dynamics make sure of that. So even when support exists, asking for it can feel almost impossible.

Together with Girl Effect, we worked with young people across Kenya to create Wazzii: a chatbot with all the knowledge of a professional health service, but none of the shame. It needed to feel cool, relatable and welcoming in every way.

My role was to define the core creative idea and shape the brand – from how it speaks to how it shows up visually – in a way that could hold sensitive topics while still feeling open, playful and culturally relevant.

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The Strategy

We positioned Wazzii around a simple but critical shift: from a chatbot delivering sexual health information to a cross-channel community brand where young people feel able to explore it. In a context shaped by stigma and silence, the brand needed to do more than inform. It had to feel safe, welcoming and genuinely relatable. Grounded in co-creation with young Kenyans, the strategy defined a voice that balances trust with openness, making it easier to ask questions that might otherwise go unspoken.

The Platform

At the heart of the brand is a clear idea: Wazzii is a space. Even the name reflects this – drawn from “wazi”, meaning open, and shaped by the language young people actually use (the double i is – apparently – akin to yaas!). Paired with the line ‘Ni space yako’ (“it’s your space”), the platform creates a sense of ownership and ease, positioning Wazzii as somewhere you can show up as yourself, ask anything, and feel completely unjudged.

The Visual Concept

The identity brings this idea of “space” to life by building environments, not just visuals. Fluid shapes, bold colour and layered patterns create worlds that feel open, dynamic and full of energy. Illustrations place young people within these spaces, always in real, social contexts. The result is a system that feels lived-in and human, turning a chatbot into something much bigger.