Background

AD Media was approached by the Ugandan Refugees of Australia group to help plan the 50th-anniversary celebration of their community’s arrival in Australia. This group includes individuals who fled Uganda in 1972 following the ethnic cleansing initiated by Idi Amin that targeted South Asians.

The Challenge

The group wanted to produce a legacy book that showcased the experiences of Ugandan victims. AD Media was approached because of our experience in working in print graphic design and execution.

The budget was limited, and we were working with a small collective of individuals. The stories were being written by non-writers, there was no professional editor and the group wanted guidance as to graphic and print design best practice.

The group had no branding identity apart from a logo designed specifically for the live event.

We were also required to provide additional live event and poster design support.

The challenge was to create a body of work that could be distributed within and strengthen the community through authentic stories and experiences of Ugandan refugees who had created a new life for themselves in Australia, after being forced to leave their country.

The goal was for this book to inform, entertain, reflect, and celebrate the remarkable achievements and celebrate Ugandan refugee Australian experiences.

Graphic design played an integral role in bringing together varying elements to create a memorial book that reflected the community visually as well as from a storytelling perspective.

The Solution

AD Media, acting as the project manager, oversaw the end-to-end delivery of the memorial book. Our design approach was influenced by the colours of the Ugandan flag and cultural heritage, ensuring that the community’s identity was vividly represented. We maintained the authenticity of the storytellers’ voices, integrating newspaper clippings and photos, many of which were not initially print-ready, to create a book that embodied both their history and future.

Beyond the book’s creation, AD Media also provided live event and poster design support to enhance the celebration.

Result

The legacy book was a resounding success, with over 200 copies sold and a digital version made available for international sales. The project garnered praise from the Ugandan community in Australia, the Maritime Museum, and Ugandan diaspora communities in the UK and Canada. Additional softcover copies were produced to meet demand, further solidifying the book as a key piece of community history.