A travel guide to discover SDGs

A project by FABRE that dreams of creating a better world

FABRE is a Spanish NGO working in two key fields. On one hand, they work on international projects in cooperation with four countries to our south (Guatemala, Bolivia, Cuba & Ivory Coast) On the other hand, they take action in Europe and Spain by running workshops and sensitivity training activities related to international development projects and charity.

As part of that second field of action, they wanted to create a different type of educational material that could raise awareness among high school students about topics related to the SDGs (Sustainable Development Goals) put forward by the United Nations. It was with this in mind that a very special project was born, where we took charge of editorial design and illustration of the stories.

Client

FABRE Foundation

Services

Editorial Design

Illustration

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17 micro stories & 4 girls as leading protagonists

The idea was to create an illustrated book with micro-stories in which the protagonists told stories of problems and inequalities that occur in their country, transporting readers to distinct realities.

The book has 4 main leading girls as protagonists, each one from one of the countries in which FABRE works, and is divided into 17 stories, one for each SDG. Launching the idea of "a journey through the SDGs" the reader lands at each stop, where the representative of that country tells a story related to the corresponding SDG and its effects on their daily life.

Telling stories through illustration

For the first edition of the stories, we created 17 personalized illustrations set in different countries and based on our four leading protagonists, all of them representing characteristics and typical clothing used in their country.

To achieve this level of aesthetic detail, we conducted a meticulous research process, with the help of FABRE, through which we identified the shades, color palettes, landscapes, typical costumes, hairstyles, homes … the real essence and vibe of each stop on the tour.

Design, photography & reflection

The same framework and structure are repeated throughout the entire journey, and at each stop the reader views an SDG from four totally different perspectives.

Using this creative format, the stories aim to convey the situation of people from four far-flung countries, vastly different from the reality of the young people who listen to them. Through sensitivity and showing empathy, high school students discover a different reality which is broader and probably totally unknown to them.

1

A brief description about the girl, that tells us about a problem she lives through on a daily basis in her country that’s based on a specific SDG.

2

An illustration that helps to put her reality into a real context.

3

A photograph of a person from the same country to help the audience empathize.

4

The country context and difficulties related to achieving the SDG in question.

The journey continues. The girls keep growing up!

After the success of the first illustrated story, FABRE opted for a second edition. For this new educational material, targeted at older students, we kept the format and the same four protagonists, although with the passage of time, they have grown older! Instead of shedding light on the problems, the second book varies a little in its focus, putting forward proposals to promote change in each of the four countries, based on the Sustainable Development Goals.

Each country is a stopover on this thought-provoking journey

Created with the same style and structure, illustration continues to feature as a key protagonist throughout the stories. Each chapter combines the story, illustration, photography and project details. In the second edition we designed four additional illustrated pages to introduce the four countries as an exciting new feature, each one inspired by nature and symbols that characterize the region.

Cover illustration of Ivory Coast

The realities of our leading characters lived during the challenges of the pandemic

The third edition tells the story of how the covid-19 pandemic has impacted the lives of Akissi, Yoel, Izamal & Nina as well as exploring the situation lived in each country. In this edition, all of our girls are wearing facemasks, representing an important symbol of the current health situation.