Designing Hope
The cycle of poverty and crime was predictable yet heartbreaking; young girls and boys, full of potential, spent weekdays in school, but once the weekend hit, they were pushed out of their tiny, overcrowded homes.
With nowhere to go, many turned to street football, but the streets also offered crime, drugs, and a fast track to a bleak future.
Between 2014 and 2018, I founded and managed Ascend FC, a football club based in Lower Kabete, with a bold mission 'to empower young boys and girls from Dandora slums, one of Nairobi’s most crime ridden areas, using the power of sports, education, and structured mentorship.'
↗️ Empathize
I spent time with these boys, their parents, and the community to deeply understand the root of the problem. It wasn’t just about football, it was about creating a structure to replace the weekend void before negative influences took over.
↗️ Define
The real challenge wasn’t just access to sports; it was a lack of ambition and exposure. Many kids believed success was reserved for those outside the slums. To break this mindset, we needed to design an experience that restored hope, ambition, and discipline.
↗️ Ideate
I structured Ascend FC to go beyond weekend football. The goal was to:
🎯 Provide structured weekend training in a safe, competitive environment.
🎯 Integrate them with affluent communities (Lower Kabete, International School of Kenya, German School) to erase the mental gap between the haves and have-nots.
🎯 Offer education sponsorships for talented players, breaking the financial barrier to high school education.
🎯 Register players in FKF leagues and offer career pathways in professional football.
My Design Process
↗️ Prototype
Finding a stable home for Ascend FC was one of my biggest challenges. Initially, we struggled to secure a proper training ground, hopping from Dandora Stadium to Kariobangi, Buruburu, and even Ngong Road, trying to survive wherever we could. It wasn’t sustainable. We needed a safe, permanent base where the boys could train consistently without disruptions.
After months of trial and error, we finally found a home in Lower Kabete, thanks to a collaboration with Lower Kabete Primary School and the County Government of Nairobi.
This was a game changer, giving us the structure we needed to focus on player development.
↗️ Iterate & Implement
Over the next three years, we scaled up:
✅ Grew from a few players to 109 registered members.
✅ Raised over KES 3.4 million from well-wishers to sustain club activities.
✅ Secured FKF league participation, allowing players to compete at a professional level.
✅ 9 players received full education sponsorships, enrolling in Dandora and Mwenje Secondary Schools.
✅ In 2017, one of our U13 players was invited for trials at Manchester City in England.
✅ 3 former players are currently at FKF Premier League club Kariobangi Sharks
✅ Tyron Kariuki has risen from our junior team to a professional career at HNK Hajduk Split in Croatia.
↗️ Evaluate & Improve
We documented everything, assessing what worked and what didn’t. The biggest challenge? Sustaining financial support. Without a major sponsor, running costs became unsustainable, forcing us to halt football operations in 2019.
👉🏾 Design Thinking Works
Whether in sports, humanitarian work, or UX, the process remains the same: understand the user, define the problem, create a solution, test, improve, and scale.
👉🏾 Teamwork is Everything
Success in any project, from football clubs to digital products, is never an individual effort, it takes a cross functional team working in sync.
👉🏾 Impact > Recognition
Though Ascend FC closed in 2019, the impact lives on. Our boys broke barriers, shattered stereotypes, and found opportunities they never thought possible.
Learnings
What’s Next?
I’m now applying these same problem solving, project management, and human-centered design skills in my work products, designing solutions, and creating impact driven experiences in humanitarian and development spaces.
The comeback is only a matter of time. 🚀
Institutional Identity Enhancement
In 2021, I led a comprehensive institutional identity and branding initiative for the Kiambu County Government. This project involved designing and implementing official insignia, executive office branding, ceremonial artifacts, and public speaking infrastructure.
My goal was to create a refined, dignified, and functionally superior identity that reflected the county’s governance aspirations and cultural heritage.
The project required meticulous planning, stakeholder engagement, regulatory compliance, and patience to navigate approvals and execution within the procedural framework of government institutions.
Navigating Bureaucracy:
Institutional Design & Execution
Executing a design project in a government setting comes with distinct challenges, particularly balancing design excellence with procedural compliance. These included:
✅ Extensive Stakeholder Consultation.
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Aligning with county officials, administrative staff, and procurement committees to ensure the project met both strategic and operational needs took a lot more time than planned. This necessitated hiring one more team member to help with execution and ensure I met the delivery deadline.
✅ Regulatory & Procedural Adherence.
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Getting past the government procurement policies, compliance frameworks, and institutional approval processes required accuracy and tactical planning.
✅ Iterative Refinement & End-User Testing.
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I continuously refined deliverables based on structured feedback I received to ensure usability and longevity.
✅ Diplomatic Execution & Project Resilience.
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I navigated complex approval hierarchies while maintaining momentum and design integrity.
📌 Coat of Arms
My design drew inspiration from Kiambu County’s rich cultural heritage and economic strengths:
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Reddish Brown – Symbolizing Kiambu’s fertile red soil, wealth, prosperity, and cultural depth.
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Blue – Representing trust, responsibility, and boundless potential.
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White – Signifying purity, peace, and a fresh beginning, reflecting a new era of governance.
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Green – Emphasizing growth, self-reliance, and agricultural richness.
Symbolic Elements of the Coat of Arms
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White Bull Tail Whisk – A symbol of authority and leadership, reflecting the cultural significance of the bull in governance and community leadership.
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12 Coffee beans (Encircling the Emblem). Representing Kiambu’s economic backbone, acknowledging coffee farming as a major contributor to the county’s prosperity. Denoting the county’s 12 sub-counties, symbolizing unity and collective governance.
📌 Executive & Ceremonial Office Branding
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I designed desk insignia, executive office plaques, and leadership symbols to reflect institutional authority and prestige.
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I used polished brass and high quality materials ensured durability and longevity, aligning with the county’s esteemed status.
Design Deliverables & Execution
📌 Institutional Artifacts
To complement the county’s executive functions, I designed and produced a suite of official artifacts:
County Seal
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For Swearing-in Ceremonies. My design upholds tradition and governance prestige.
County Emblem :
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Applied across official documents, letterheads, and institutional assets for consistent branding.
Desktop Flags :
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Featuring the county flag and national flag, reinforcing authority in official spaces.
Backdrop Flags :
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Used in press briefings, executive meetings, and ceremonial addresses.
VIP Car Flags :
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For official government convoys and dignitary vehicles.
Pen Holders & Desktop Name Tags:
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Elegant, durable, and user-friendly, crafted in brass for longevity.
My
Design Got Rejected
How it went
Upon delivering a well polished and stately set of executive pen holders for the Kiambu County Assembly, I was soon called back due to concerns about durability. Despite their elegant golden finish, the pen holders were experiencing structural failures after only a few weeks of use.
The issue stemmed from the ball-joint connection that attached the pen insertion tip to the holder’s surface. While the design initially allowed for a smooth rotational function, continuous use gradually expanded the joint space, leading to detachment. By the time I attended the feedback meeting, more than half of the pen holders had broken, causing frustration among executive users.
Challenge
My responsibility was to analyze the root cause of the issue, restore user confidence, and provide a long-term, sustainable solution.
Instead of merely replacing the broken units, I needed to re-engineer the design for durability while ensuring that the revised pen holders aligned with the elegance and functionality expected in executive offices.
Additionally, I had to manage expectations acknowledging the issue without diminishing the credibility of the overall project.
Solution
🧩 I engaged end users for direct feedback
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I conducted a hands -on review session with executive staff to understand the pain points firsthand.
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Identified the plastic ball-joint’s material weakness and its failure due to frequent movement and stress expansion
🧩 I redesigned the pen holder for durability
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Replaced the plastic pen tip holder with a brass alternative, ensuring strength, longevity, and a premium finish.
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Reinforced the attachment mechanism by eliminating the ball-joint connection, opting for a fixed yet ergonomically positioned holder to maintain usability.
🧩 I executed a swift & seamless replacement
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Retrieved all 12 pen holders, redesigned and replaced them within a short turnaround time.
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Ensured the new design maintained visual consistency with other office artifacts.
🧩 I communicated the solution professionally
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Presented the refined design, highlighting the enhanced durability, improved user experience, and elevated executive aesthetic.
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Positioned the issue as a learning driven improvement, reinforcing a commitment to adaptability.
Results
✅ User Satisfaction Restored.
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The new brass pen holders were received enthusiastically, with executives appreciating both the upgraded durability and refined aesthetic.
✅ Longterm Usability Achieved.
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The revised design eliminated detachment concerns, making the pen holders a lasting institutional artifact.
✅ Trust & Credibility.
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My swift response and proactive refinement enhanced confidence in the overall branding project.
✅ Design Iteration is a Competitive Edge.
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My experience reinforced the value of iterative problem solving and continuous improvement in high profile design projects.
Learnings📚
I learned that rapid problem resolution builds trust; how a designer responds to setbacks significantly shapes professional reputation and client relationships. Through this experience, I reaffirmed the power of thoughtful, user driven design, ensuring that even the smallest details contribute to a seamless, dignified institutional identity.
Inclusive Public Address Lectern
In 2022, I was entrusted by the County Assembly of Kiambu to design a universally accessible lectern that could seamlessly accommodate both standing and wheelchair users.
My design was inspired by the iconic United Nations lectern, a global symbol of diplomacy, authority, and inclusivity.
This project embodies human-centered design at scale, demonstrating how insight driven product development can impact governance, public communication, and community engagement.
A Human-Centered Approach
I followed a rigorous, iterative design process, integrating physical prototyping, digital modeling, and user testing to refine the final product:
🧐 Deep User Research & Needs Assessment
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I Conducted observational studies and interviews with diverse users, including political leaders, administrative staff, and persons with disabilities.
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Key pain points were:
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Traditional lecterns were static and restrictive, unsuitable for wheelchair users.
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The height lacked adjustability, making it challenging for users of varying statures.
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Microphone placement and digital integration needed enhancement for seamless audio control.
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🎭 Prototyping & Iteration
To explore possible solutions, I used:
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Cardboard prototyping: A rapid, low cost way to test form, height adjustability, and ergonomic reach.
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Wizard of Oz Testing: Simulated user interactions to understand natural adjustments and comfort levels before implementing a full scale design.
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Sketches & CAD Models: Mapped precise dimensions and adjustability mechanisms before moving into production.
🎖The Final Design Solution:
A Digitized Wooden Platform
The final lectern combined:
✅ Mahogany Craftsmanship with Red Velvet Finish. A blend of durability, elegance, and authority befitting government settings.
✅ An intuitive height-adjustment mechanism accommodating users between 3’9” (117 cm) and 6’5” (196 cm), including those in wheelchairs.
✅ Advanced User Friendly Controls. Integrated button adjustments and infrared remote control, enabling effortless real time modifications.
✅ Optimized Microphone Placement
For clear and consistent voice projection.
Impact & Adoption
📌 Daily Utilization:
The lecterns are used an average of 2- 3 times per week across official meetings, community engagements, and public addresses.
📌 Wider Accessibility:
Enabled wheelchair-using leaders to deliver speeches without external assistance.
📌 Event Adaptability:
Seamlessly integrated into over 50 county events annually, including legislative sessions, community forums, and high-profile government functions.
Design Philosophy
The development of this lectern was informed by my holistic design system, which emphasizes:
✅ Universal Usability
Designing products that cater to diverse physical needs and inclusive public engagement.
✅ Minimalism & Functionality
Clean aesthetics with seamless interaction points.
✅ Iterative Testing & Adaptability
Ensuring design solutions evolve through continuous feedback and prototyping.
✅ Strategic Material Selection
Using premium materials (mahogany, velvet) to maintain an authoritative presence while prioritizing durability.
Design Evolution 🤓
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Accessibility is not an afterthought, it’s foundational. Designing for inclusivity enhances usability for everyone, not just for those with specific needs.
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Digitization can transform traditional craftsmanship. The seamless fusion of wooden artistry and digital ergonomics resulted in an intuitive, visually compelling solution.
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Prototyping is invaluable. Low fidelity testing helped refine the experience before committing to full production.
Accessibility
For Deaf and Hard of Hearing
Making Learning Click 🎓
For the last six years, I’ve been a Board Member at Kambui School for the Hearing Impaired, working with students, teachers, and stakeholders to improve how deaf learners experience education.
I think of it as a real life design challenge; the users are brilliant students who just need the right tools to thrive 👏
So, What’s the Problem? 🤔
Through direct engagement with students, educators and Kambui community, I identified three critical transition points that pose significant challenges to hearing-impaired learners:
📌 Signing & Cognitive Complexity
As subjects become more technical, sign language limitations make it difficult for students to grasp concepts.
One of my most eye opening moments was during a Form 3 Chemistry class 🧪, where I observed that 90% of the students could not differentiate between “liquid form” and “water” because the sign language gestures were too similar. Teachers often had to spell out words letter by letter, which broke concentration, increased cognitive load, and made learning cumbersome.
Worse still, the teacher had to walk desk to desk explaining concepts, which was exhausting and disrupted the learning flow.
📌 Social Integration & Human Connection
Many students struggle with expressing emotions, social cues, and professional communication, limiting their opportunities beyond school.
This experience reinforced a critical design insight education for the hearing impaired needs optimized visual and digital tools to reduce dependency on manual signing and create seamless, independent learning experiences.
📌 Transitioning to Adulthood
The learners are left to navigate puberty, relationships, and self identity in a world that often excludes them from social conversations.
In swahili, "Fasihi ni kioo cha jamii" which loosely translates to "literature is a reflection of the society." Learners face limited access to online content, particularly in areas such as social media, music, news, and fashion. To enhance inclusion and accessibility, there is a need to either increase the volume of published content or adapt existing content to be more accessible for the Deaf community. This ensures that digital spaces are more inclusive, fostering equal access to information and social engagement.
🎬 What I Did Instead.
✅ I Made Lessons More Visual.
I introduced digital charts, videos, and sign-friendly animations to reduce reliance on finger-spelling and boost engagement.
✅ Tech-Backed Safety.
CCTV cameras were installed in classrooms and common areas—not for surveillance, but to ensure students felt safe and accounted for.
✅ Streamlined School Admin.
I championed digitization of accounting, class schedules, and student records, making school operations less chaotic and more efficient.
✅ We Built Content for the Deaf, by the Deaf.
I pushed for the creation of content by deaf creators, ensuring content was not just accessible but authentically engaging. While at it, I took lessons on basic signing of Kenya Sign Language
Takeaway 🎯
This experience wasn’t just about improving education; it was about reimagining how design, technology, and empathy intersect to solve real problems. I learned that true accessibility isn’t about adding features, it is about reshaping experiences so they work naturally for the people who use them.