Exclusively for our graduates, we help mini传媒 recruit and support top creative talent to best communicate their important mission鈥攑roviding high-quality education to 1800 of the brightest and poorest students in Tanzania. Selected from families living on less than $2 a day, St Jude鈥檚 students receive an education that consistently ranks in the top 10% nationally. Andy Shillington, Founder and CEO of Shillington is a long-time donor and loves connecting our design graduates to the school鈥檚 important work.
In 2016, New York graduate spent one year designing for good at St Jude鈥檚, and now鈥攊n 2018, London graduate Kate Holland takes the reins. 鈥淎 talented, enthusiastic graphic designer helps us find new and exciting ways to share our story,鈥� says Gemma Sisia, Founder of St Jude鈥檚. 鈥淕ood design connects with our supporters from all over the world who help us do an amazing job fighting poverty through education here in Tanzania.鈥�
Here鈥檚 our full interview with Kate. Find out why she鈥檚 pumped to work with such a beautiful brand for a good cause, what life is like so far in Arusha and why she鈥檚 passionate about this important work.
Congratulations on being selected for the Shillington Design Safari at St Jude鈥檚 in Arusha, Tanzania! How does it feel?
Seriously incredible and totally surreal at the same time! I had such build up of anticipation before coming here and now that I鈥檓 actually standing on Tanzanian soil I can鈥檛 believe it. What they鈥檙e doing here at St Jude鈥檚 is beyond words. It鈥檚 very moving to see the students gorgeous, cheery smiles around the campus every day, it鈥檚 a constant reminder of why I鈥檓 here.
Since arriving, I鈥檝e been blown away by the kindness and contentment of the people, their humble approach to life, the way people greet each other and just the everyday on-goings of life in Arusha. I鈥檝e never been to Tanzania before so it鈥檚 all extremely eye opening but I feel like I鈥檓 meant to be here, I鈥檓 ready to call this place home.
You actually saw Gemma Sisia, founder of St Jude鈥檚 speak while studying at All Saints Anglican School and it 鈥渟hifted and heightened [your] interest to aid others鈥�. Tell us more about what her talk meant to you.
Having grown up on the Gold Coast and then seen others parts of the world, I think we have no idea just how lucky we are to have access to privileges that many people do not experience. Listening to this inspiring woman talk about the unimaginable extremes of poverty and lack of education in Tanzania, it really put a lot of things in perspective for me.
It was about 10 years ago so the school was still in its early stages, but you could tell that St Jude鈥檚 was no ordinary organisation. Even then, what Gemma had done was incredible 鈥� to think that she started with $10 in a bank account and not much knowledge of building schools is probably the most inspiring story I鈥檝e ever heard. A few of my closest friends went over to visit St Jude鈥檚 on a school trip and seeing their pictures made me realise that one day I just had to go over, experience it for myself and help in whatever way possible.
Before coming here I read Gemma鈥檚 book about St Jude鈥檚鈥攁n absolute must read! It gives such an insight into her background and shows how one person with enough good-will, motivation, love and selflessness can actually change lives and have huge positive impacts on a community. Her story is incredibly moving and really prompted me to think about the way I live my life.
Besides being inspired by Gemma, why else did you decide to apply for the opportunity?
I love seeing the world, I love new challenges, I love immersing myself in other cultures and also, why not? I think it was a sign when I received the email from Shillington advertising the design safari and I wasn鈥檛 going to ignore it. It was a great opportunity to not only continue working in design but also produce work that is fulfilling and for a fantastic cause. Sometimes you can get caught up in all the materialism and mundanity of design so it鈥檒l be nice to feel like my work is making a difference, even if it鈥檚 ever so small!
Why are you excited to work with Seesaw鈥檚 branding?
St Jude鈥檚 has taken such a massive leap in the right direction with this rebrand. I鈥檓 only two weeks in and I can already see how imperative this new brand is for St Jude鈥檚.
It鈥檚 energetic and fun, it鈥檚 colourful, it鈥檚 the kids on the playground at lunchtime, it鈥檚 positive, it鈥檚 impactful, it鈥檚 the atmosphere of the campus and it鈥檚 also so much more!
Seesaw Studio and Connie have done an incredible job and I hope I can fill their shoes as I continue to roll out the branding across bigger and better things!
What else are you most looking forward to during your time at St Jude鈥檚?
Making life-long friends and memories with like-minded people who are here for a great cause. Trying to understand and immerse myself as much as I can in the Tanzanian way of life and maybe becoming fluent in Swahili! I also can鈥檛 wait to interact with and get to know some of the students a bit more, we have some interns in our team who are completing a Community Service Year internship through our graduate program, Beyond St Jude鈥檚. Many graduates choose to participate in the program as a way to give back to the school that gave them so much, and when they鈥檙e working right beside you, you realise just how far they鈥檝e come, thanks to an education at St Jude鈥檚.
I鈥檓 also really looking forward to going on Safari, I鈥檝e heard so many great things about the safaris in Tanzania and can鈥檛 wait to see it for myself!
What were you up to before studying at Shillington? Why did you want to study design?
I鈥檝e always been quite creative but also very methodical and logical so design seemed like the perfect avenue for me. I went to a in Brisbane while I was still at school and something about it definitely felt right, so it was always in the back of my mind.
Then I finished high school in 2011, turned 18 the following year and jetted off to Europe for a gap year. I fell in love with London and made the decision to stay as I was having the time of my life. After a year, I decided (with the help of my lovely parents!) that I would enrol to study at Shillington in London, and the rest is history!
Where has life taken you since graduating?
Since graduating I moved back to Australia as no one would marry me for a UK visa! I worked on the Gold Coast for a year and then moved to Brisbane for two years working for a boutique hospitality group and then back to the Gold Coast to work on the 2018 Commonwealth Games and now to Tanzania! I think studying at Shillington was one of the best decisions I鈥檝e ever made. It was exactly what I needed and look where it has taken me鈥擨 couldn鈥檛 ask for anything more!
Anything else you鈥檇 like to share?
ASANTE SANA (鈥榯hank you鈥� in Swahili) to Shillington for giving me this opportunity and supporting such a great cause!
Huge thanks to Kate for sharing her Shillington Design Safari story! Be sure to check out .
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