Chadasha Foundation
Client | Chadasha Foundation
Date | February 2024 – September 2024
Role | Web Developer
Project Overview
The Chadasha Foundation is a non-profit organization that provides life-saving care to children in third world countries who are struggling with heart defects. Every year they organize a variety of mission trips for volunteer doctors and surgeons to perform pediatric heart surgeries at no cost to the patients’ families.
Problem Statement
The Chadasha Foundation’s website was outdated, had no clear way to donate to the organization, and lacked visual interest. The site did not have many images demonstrating the work they had done and had a very somber tone and color palette.
Solution
My goal was to create a new website that is user friendly, approachable, includes easy donation functionality, and is visually interesting. To achieve this, we updated their brand guidelines with a new logo and color palette. Then we focused on writing text that was both informative and uplifting. Finally, we incorporated more images that demonstrate the ways that the Chadasha Foundation is saving lives.
Key Takeaways
Language Matters
This project dealt with some difficult subject matters such as child death rates and poverty. This meant writing website text that provided accurate context while focusing on positive changes created by the organization in difficult circumstances.
Show Don't Tell
Users may be unlikely to read long paragraphs of text on a website, especially on sensitive topics. I used images to break up text and convey stories and information for readers.
Project Highlights
Design
I worked with the client and a graphic designer to update the Chadasha Foundation's color palette and logo. The new design style and logo are more representative of their mission and goals.
Blog
The Chadasha Foundation wanted a way to display the details from each of their mission trips so others could see the work they have done. I created a blog that allows them to upload a narrative and images from each trip.
Donations
I made the donation process easier by setting up a donation form which is embedded on the site. This allows people to donate directly on the site and makes it easier for the Chadasha Foundation to receive donations.
Imagery
The old site lacked images showing the impact that the Chadasha Foundation has had on kids' lives. I added imagery across the site to illustrate the story of their organization so potential donors could see how their money changes lives.
Updated Brand Guidelines
Old Logo
The old logo does not clearly illustrate the Chadasha Foundation’s mission. It shows an illustration of Haiti, which is not the only country Chadasha visits. The logo also does not have anything representing their work providing heart surgeries.
New Logo
The new logo includes imagery of a heart and a person which illustrates their mission of providing pediatric heart surgeries for kids. It also utilizes more color and more legible and playful fonts to represent their work with children.
Old Color Palette
The old color palette was made up of two warm-toned colors. There is no contrasting color to break up the warm tones and the colors do not have any meaning within the organization.
New Color Palette
The new color palette incorporates a variety of dark and light colors. The main dark blue acts as a contrast between the lighter colors. This new palette uses colors that are more playful and friendly which is intended to establish trust and encourage positive feelings.
Updated Design Elements
Each call to action button on the homepage is a different color in the color palette.
Colors create consistency across the site. Section titles are dark blue, descriptions are yellow, and buttons are light blue.
Text in the header and footer turns red on hover to indicate that the text can be clicked on.
Paragraph text that is linked is red to show that it is a clickable link.
Mission Trip Reports
After every mission trip, one of the doctors creates an after-trip summary report detailing the work Chadasha completed on the trip. These reports act as a record of all the work they have completed and how it has changed lives. They also allow individuals to see the importance of the Chadasha Foundation’s mission and encourage them to donate so they can continue to bring care to those in need.
I added a “Stories that Inspire” section on the bottom of each page which lets people read more about each trip.
The after-trip report includes a gallery which showcases images taken on the trip. Images include pictures of the patients, the doctors performing procedures, and the recovery process. This humanizes the stories and brings them to life.
I added an “Our Work” page which includes a breakdown of the locations they visit and what they achieve. This quantitative approach appeals to numbers driven readers and balances the personal stories on the site.
Promoting Involvement
I created a donation form with Zeffy which is directly embedded on the site so people can donate easily. Each amount includes a brief description of what it covers.
Since people can also donate their time, I created a section that explains the importance of volunteers and encourages people to sign up to be a part of a medical team. This section includes a button that links to information on how to sign up.
Telling a Story through Images
Every page title is accompanied by an image that relates to the page content.
Images show the connection between staff and patients which encourages empathy.
Text sections include an image to show what the text is describing.
Images of patients and their families are scattered throughout the site, emphasizing that the Chadasha Foundation isn’t just supporting kids; it is also helping their families.
Results
The updated website and brand style make a difficult topic more approachable. The new website promotes awareness and illustrates the work done by the Chadasha Foundation while also making it easier to donate to the foundation.
The client was very happy with their new website and continues to add new trip reports to it regularly.
“Working with Ainsley from Slamdot was fantastic. She was always ready to help and provided us with valuable advice. The process went smoothly. She genuinely engaged in our work and in how we wanted to present it on our website. The final product couldn't be better and was precisely what we had in mind. Thanks Slamdot team!!”
Rodrigo Soto
My Skills and Experience Will Help You
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Worked as an UX intern at a student-run design and advertising agency to create digital content and layouts for a variety of business clients.