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Logotypes for a Girls’ Football Club in Mombasa
Graphic design
A former colleague of mine, Britta Risholm, asked if I would help with a voluntary design project for an organization in Africa. Given my own roots in today’s Democratic Republic of Congo—where I was born in the late 1950s as the child of missionaries—it felt only natural to say yes.
In Mombasa, Kenya, opportunities for girls are few and far between. The academies that exist are often profit-driven, focused more on returns than on the actual needs of children and young people. It’s not a lack of interest in sports that holds girls back, but rather a society that rarely prioritizes their opportunities. Out of that frustration, Hidaya Sports Africa was founded in 2025 by Folke Risholm, Idil Roble Ari, and Lydia Zawadi.
The mission is clear and vital: to give girls the chance to play football. The initiative consists of both the association Hidaya Sports Africa and its football club, HISA FC (Hidaya Sports Africa Football Club). The name Hidaya means “guidance,” a value that runs through everything they do. Another guiding phrase is “where it starts”—a reminder that the organization is a place for girls to begin their journey, though not necessarily where it has to end. Looking ahead, the vision reaches beyond sports, toward mentorship, scholarships, and other support that can help girls take the next step in life.
My role was to create two logos: one for the association itself, and one for the football club. The association’s emblem needed to reflect a strong connection to the African continent, while the club’s badge should unite three key elements—Mombasa, girls, and football.
Early ideas centered on combining a football with the outline of Africa and the female symbol. I also drew inspiration from Mombasa’s heraldic crest, with its distinctive elephant tusks and a radiant sunburst symbolizing enlightenment, hope, and determination. Using these elements, I designed two logos—different in identity yet connected in spirit. The broader vision is that other cities across the African continent can one day join in, carrying the same graphic language forward.
