TASKS
Rebarding / Strategy / Brand Architecture / Visual design / Animation / Naming
CLIENT / CATEGORY
Alfanar / Philanthropy
LOCATION
London, UK
Empowering Social Enterprises for Lasting Change
Alfanar is a venture philanthropy organization based in London committed to supporting high-potential, impact-driven social enterprises across the Arab world. Their work centers around providing patient capital, tailored training, and comprehensive management support. By leveraging their extensive networks, they aim to create a self-sufficient ecosystem that strengthens education, creates jobs, and improves lives—especially for women and children.
Direction
Alfanar’s mission is clear: to positively impact the region’s most vulnerable populations by cultivating sustainable social enterprises. Each initiative they support has the tailored resources it needs to thrive, and their two decades of experience allows them to guide these social enterprises with deep expertise, driving meaningful change across communities.
Creation
I worked closely with Alfanar’s leadership team and board members to define their brand architecture and help with positioning. This sensitive process, which required a detailed and collaborative approach, ensured buy-in from all key stakeholders. By bringing as much clarity as possible to the brand, we aimed to ensure the organization’s mission and values were clearly communicated across all levels, demonstrating their commitment to transparency and inclusivity.
Inspired by modern Arabic calligraphy, the logo is a geometric interpretation of multiple scripts combined to form a unique identity. It presents a simple, bold, and iconic design. The geometric precision reflects the organization’s structural approach to social change. At the same time, the calligraphic flair honours Alfanar’s Arab heritage, embedding cultural significance directly into the brand’s visual identity.
The monogram, an identifying symbol usually made up of an initial drawn from the Arabic “F” in “Alfanar,” transforms into a distinctive mark that embodies the essence of light emerging from darkness, akin to a beacon and transparency. We carried over this concept from the old logo design. The mark is adaptable for use across digital and physical branding contexts where endorsements may be needed or when space is minimal. The mark can also be used decoratively as a pattern.