Butterfly Works

12/03/2025

📣 We are excited to share something truly special with you all! 📣

After 25 incredible years of social innovation, we proudly present our Celebration magazine, dedicated to honouring our legacy and the impact of our work around the world. 🌍

While Butterfly Works has concluded its chapter, we believe that our core values—co-creation, inclusivity, and sustainability—will continue to inspire future changemakers worldwide. Our projects have opened doors, sparked important conversations, and fostered collaboration across cultures.

In this magazine, you will find stories that capture our journey and the invaluable lessons learned along the way. We invite you to download it from our website [https://www.butterflyworks.org/] and explore the significant impact we have made over the years.

Thank you for being a part of our story! 🦋

26/08/2024

We are excited to share an update on a Butterfly Works project featuring a 2022 Design Thinking Course alumni! April Israel is using the knowledge gained from Butterfly Works' DT course to address critical issues, specifically food insecurity, and lead initiatives that drive social change in his community in Nigeria. An enthusiastic and proactive from Lagos, Israel is a content creator and manages his food blog, Foodblog9ja.

𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗗𝗲𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘀𝗸𝗶𝗹𝗹𝘀, 𝘁𝗼𝗼𝗹𝘀, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗱𝘀𝗲𝘁 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗗𝗧 𝗰𝗼𝘂𝗿𝘀𝗲 𝗶𝗻𝗳𝗹𝘂𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗱𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹𝗼𝗽𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝗙𝗼𝗼𝗱𝗕𝗹𝗼𝗴𝟵𝗷𝗮'𝘀 𝗱𝗼𝗰𝘂𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘆, ''𝗛𝘂𝗻𝗴𝗲𝗿'𝘀 𝗚𝗿𝗶𝗽''?

Israel applied the Design Challenge tool - https://toolbox.butterflyworks.org/tools/design-challenge from our toolbox to explore various facets of food insecurity and effectively engage stakeholders. This approach not only enabled him to map out key actors and their perspectives using the Actor Network tool - https://toolbox.butterflyworks.org/tools/actor-network, but it also ensured that he had a comprehensive exploration of the issue. This strategic approach has been instrumental in developing and presenting Foodblog9ja's documentary, “Hunger’s Grip,” and in mobilising support for lasting solutions. The goal of the documentary is to raise awareness, inspire action and drive change towards a future where no one has to go hungry.

Watch the trailer here - https://drive.google.com/file/d/1TZgMMsGi7toYpmjo5-RwCihaFu2V6hl9/view.

For more information about Foodblog9ja and how you can support their work, check out their document brief - https://drive.google.com/file/d/1RAdl9KQ5w8N5Ihb2a6BH-AeCmw-yP83-/view?usp=sharing.

Foodblog9ja TV

27/05/2024

Last year, we interviewed inspiring youth from Nigeria using the “Stories of Change” methodology, part of Oxfam's research approach, which aims to get insights into the why and how of the changes in people’s lives.

We are excited to share these first-hand experiences from some of the WiP! Project participants featuring Joshua Agosu and Professor Maryam Koko, both of whom participated in our Digital Labs course in 2021. Digital Labs is an online training programme that aims to teach young people digital literacy and future skills to equip them for the increasing demand for digital skills in the job market.

For Joshua, the Digital Labs course helped him gain knowledge in collaborating online using digital tools and incorporated design thinking principles in a relatable manner. He also learned problem-solving skills and how to work out solutions from scratch, making it a significant learning experience. Joshua has a personal mission to share his learnings with others by becoming a life coach and helping people discover their passion and develop their talents into skills that lead to a profession. Additionally, he would like to share his knowledge of design thinking and skills for problem-solving.

During the implementation of Digital Labs at Usmanu Danfodiyo University Sokoto, Maryam learned the power of online learning and passed this knowledge on to her children. Her daughter became a trainer for Digital Labs and is pursuing a master course online. Maryam has since established her own business, Excellence Micro Trainers and Consultancies Services, offering in-house training on various aspects of business management. The business conducts virtual training using online webinars and collaborative tools, thanks to the knowledge gained from Digital Labs training.

14/05/2024

INTERNS WANTED 📢

We have two exciting internship opportunities available in 📣 Branding & Communication and 🎨 Social Design! You'll get to work with a diverse and experienced team, learn new skills, and contribute to meaningful national and international projects. 𝗙𝗹𝘂𝗲𝗻𝗰𝘆 𝗶𝗻 𝗘𝗻𝗴𝗹𝗶𝘀𝗵 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗗𝘂𝘁𝗰𝗵 𝗶𝘀 𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗮𝗹 (French is a plus).

If you're interested in making an impact and having fun while doing it, apply now by sending your motivation letter, CV, and portfolio to [email protected] 📩 before 𝗝𝘂𝗻𝗲 𝟮𝟮𝗻𝗱. Remember to specify which internship you're applying for!

Check out the internships here:
https://designinnovationgroup.nl/branding-and-communication-intern/
https://designinnovationgroup.nl/social-design-intern/

Help us spread the word by sharing with your networks! 😊

08/03/2024

The theme for is . At DIG, we believe & drive innovation & better outcomes, such as increased product accessibility for women to advance financial & disability inclusion & bridging the gender gap in tech through redesigned upskilling programmes.

We're proud to highlight some of the work we've done for others — from transformative approaches to inclusive solutions — ultimately empowering women to break down barriers that hinder their progress.

💸 Demand-side research on migrant remittances for the UN Capital Development Fund: We researched migrant remittance senders & receivers in Singapore, Bangladesh, Senegal, & the UAE using a human-centred approach. We partnered with service providers to enhance their services & prototype ideal customer journeys. We also developed a Human-Centred Design toolkit & provided training for remittance service providers & the UNCDF team.

💻 Work in Progress! alliance (WiP!) programme in collaboration with Tunga, Ekobits Academy, & Kampabits: We used participatory research to enable women in Nigeria & Uganda to reflect on tech learning & working barriers. Daily challenges were shared via WhatsApp and Slack, helping participants learn & share recommendations. Insights gathered informed Tunga's redesign of coding courses for girls & women in Nigeria & Uganda.

📲 Facilitation of Design thinking clinics for grantees of the GSMA Innovation Fund, specifically startups working on innovative mobile tech solutions: In the first DT clinic, we emphasised inclusivity by looking at rural areas, gender, & people with low digital literacy. In the second clinic, we focused on designing with & for people with disabilities, discussing lessons learned & challenges faced by startups.

🌱 Women leading change—Capacity-building of in-country association leaders in Burkina Faso: We conducted a co-creation workshop with in-country leaders to design a tool for women in agriculture to access information on land, financing, & training. With support from the Ministry of Agriculture, AUDA NEPAD, & GIZ GmbH, we delivered a tailor-made toolkit to facilitate this access.

28/02/2024

🌟 Last week, we hosted a dynamic workshop as part of the YEP Programmes, focusing on design thinking in the Water, Agrofood, and Renewable Energy sectors! 💡 Participants immersed themselves in design thinking principles and activities, gaining valuable insights and tools for their work. 👏 Yeppers left with a newfound understanding of design thinking's potential impact. 🌍 Excited to see their innovative solutions!

29/01/2024

For the past year, we worked on the WiP Impact product, a visual and interactive overview to present insights, lessons learned and best practices for a few selected learning questions related to each WiP project pathway. https://i.micr.io/JpqLV/en/work-in-progress

The Work in Progress! Alliance (WiP!) has been working to ensure that young people in Egypt, Nigeria and Somaliland have sustainable living wages and are optimistic about their future.
Using an integrated approach, the project focuses on both the supply and demand side of the labour market and enhancing the enabling environment for youth and small businesses.

WIP! is financially supported by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands. It is part of the LEAD (Local Employment for African Development) initiative of the Department for Economic and Sustainable Development.

Ministerie van Buitenlandse Zaken, Oxfam Novib, VC4A, Hanzehogeschool Groningen, Poise Nigeria Limited, EdoBits ICT Academy, EKOBITS ICT GRAPHICS DESIGN ACADEMY SCHOOL, HargaBits - Digital Design Academy, She Leads Africa, Enterprise Development Centre, Shaqodoon Organization, Somaliland Skills Training Association (SOSTA), Innovate Ventures, Shuraako, Horn of Africa Voluntary Youth Committee (HAVOYOCO), icealexandria, Ahead of the Curve

You can decide either to freely explore the image or to take guided tour.

15/01/2024

In 2023, we worked tirelessly to make a positive impact in the world, collaborating with organisations and individuals across the globe. We are proud to have trained over 350 individuals in important fields such as Human-Centred Design, Behavioural Change, and Systemic Design and to have given 11 lectures and keynote speeches, including one at the Knowledge of Design Week (KODW) in Hong Kong.

Our Butterfly Community, which connects design thinkers working in the development and humanitarian sector, grew to 566 members, and we became the trusted partner in social innovation and strategic design for 12+ organisations. We worked on sustainability, diversity and inclusion, and youth employment and entrepreneurship projects, collaborating with NGOs and private organisations and being part of strategic partnerships.

As a team, we celebrated our 10-year anniversary and the merger of Butterfly Works and DIG, and we are proud to have worked simultaneously in different languages, including Dutch, English, French, and Portuguese. We even gave away over 400 pairs of DIG-branded socks and supported our colleague's regenerative garden by eating 20kgs of zucchini!

As we look forward to the future, we are excited to continue making a positive impact through our work, partnerships, and community. We are grateful for those who have joined us on this journey and look forward to the opportunities ahead.

22/12/2023

Can you believe it's almost the end of another year? Time flies when you're busy co-creating a sustainable and inclusive futureproof world!🚀

Thanks to our incredible team, partners, clients, and global audience, we've accomplished so much this year!

As we look ahead, we know there will be challenges, but we're excited to tackle them together. Let's celebrate all our victories, big and small, and reflect on how far we've come.

From all of us, we want to wish you a happy and healthy holiday season! We're grateful for your support and can't wait to see what the new year brings. Thank you for choosing to be part of our journey.

10/10/2023

Our colleague, Andrea, recently participated in the Learning event of the Work in Progress (WiP) programme in Lagos, Nigeria. The event was a celebration of the immense achievements of the Work in Progress Alliance over the past 4 years.

As part of our strategic partnership, Butterfly Works - Design Innovation Group supported the work of TVET centres in building young peoples' skills for today and future work. Since 2020, the Work in Progress Alliance has been tirelessly working towards building young peoples' skills for today and the future to help them find jobs or set up their enterprises. The alliance accelerates start-ups and offers business development services (BDS) to impact-driven small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).

Additionally, the alliance is working towards improving the enabling environment for youth and enterprises by influencing key stakeholders. We are grateful for the support from the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Ministerie van Buitenlandse Zaken), our alliance partners Oxfam Novib, Oxfam in Nigeria, VC4A and our implementing partners in Nigeria: Enterprise Development Centre, She Leads Africa and Poise Nigeria Limited. Together, we are making a significant difference in empowering young people and impacting the future!