Designing a digital home for inclusive global cities.
As a grassroots movement grounded in community organizing, SDI Kenya needed a website that reflected the power of its people—not just its programs. Working within the broader network of Slum Dwellers International, the organization has spent decades building a federation model that puts informal settlement communities at the center of urban development. Our goal was to help them tell that story—with clarity, dignity, and purpose.
SDI-Kenya came to us with a clear challenge: how to share the depth and impact of their work with new audiences, while staying true to the voices that built the movement. We collaborated to design a site that could hold both—the grassroots and the global, the story and the strategy.
Approach
In addition to spotlighting community-led organizing, the site showcases SDI-Kenya’s technical expertise and data-driven advocacy work. We highlighted the strength of their model: combining lived experience with rigorous data collection and analysis to influence policy, shape urban planning, and drive lasting change.
What We Did
- Crafted a new site architecture and content strategy to guide diverse users—from community residents to global partners—through the organization’s mission and work
- Developed a vibrant visual identity that bridges grassroots organizing with a global audience
- Shaped copy and storytelling to reflect the history, people, and impact of the SDI-Kenya federation model
- Created custom diagrams illustrating their theory of change and locally driven approach to city-making
- Built a responsive, easy-to-navigate website that highlights local voices and creates clear entry points for funders, collaborators, and community members alike
Outcome
The new site positions SDI-Kenya as both a trusted local movement and a global thought leader in inclusive urban development. It gives their community members, partners, and allies a digital space to learn, connect, and join in building more just cities—starting from the ground up.
Team
Marisa Ruiz Asari
Meaghan Barry
Sarah Fenner | Deck Design
Katherine Chui | Motion
Photography by KYC.TV & SDI Affiliates
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