THE PROBLEM:
Access to clean drinking water is increasingly compromised at Jamestown Beach, where fast-fashion dumping and environmental neglect have polluted local waterways. While the issue receives media attention, on-the-ground solutions remain limited. This ongoing dumping disrupts daily life for local residents and vendors, strains already limited waste and water infrastructure, making it extremely difficult for the communities that live here to access clean water.
Long-term change requires corporate accountability, but GH²O is designed as an immediate, resident-centered response. The project introduces a portable filtration system that delivers clean, cold drinking water while addressing environmental harm through design.
QUESTIONS TO CREATE A SOLUTION
How can a water solution be lightweight, portable, and easy to clean in daily use?
How can a brand system remain bold, legible, and culturally resonant for clients, customers, and partners in both The States and Ghana?
How can the solution avoid contributing to the same waste systems it aims to address?
BUILDING THE BRAND SYSTEM
A town as resilient as Accra deserves a product and brand system just as brilliant! GH²O is designed to be immediately recognizable, accessible, and adaptable. The primary logo is shaped like Ghana, creating instant geographic recognition for residents, partners, and collaborators. Bright color usage and direct visual language reflect the flag, translating complex environmental issues into clear, powerful communication.
MAKING IT HAPPEN
The GH²O product was designed for performance, durability, and everyday usability. From the first sketch, I wanted this product to feature: double-wall stainless steel insulation to maintain temperature in hot climates, a hollow fiber membrane, and fast charcoal-activated filtration at 1 liter per minute. It also boasts a wide opening for ice flow, while a removable straw makes cleaning easy. The filtration system uses ultra-powdered activated charcoal to capture microplastics, sediment, silt, harmful bacteria, mixed metals, and fabric waste.
My role at GH²O:
As the creative strategist behind GH²O, I led this project with one goal: add huge sustainable tweaks to a simple product. I applied systems thinking to define how the product, brand, and user experience work together to address clean-water access and environmental harm.
After quickly identifying the problem, I sourced materials for the product and designed the physical and digital touchpoints.
Constructed using BPA-, lead-, and phthalate-free materials, the tumbler features double-wall stainless steel insulation to maintain temperature. A wide opening allows ice to flow, while a removable straw makes cleaning easy. The filter contains ultra-powdered activated carbon, which catches microplastics, sediment, silt, and harmful bacteria, as well as mixed metals and fabric waste.
MATCHING GHANA'S MARKETING
It was important to me to stay true to Ghana’s advertising style, which translates complex social and environmental abuse into a mighty visual solution. I did my best to honor Accra’s visual and native language, using graphic design as a tool for clarity, dignity, and impact.
MAKING CHANGE AT JAMESTOWN BEACH, ACCRA, GHANA
GH²O is designed to provide immediate access to water for residents at Jamestown Beach while creating a scalable framework for environmental responsibility. The project prioritizes utility, cultural relevance, and sustainability over spectacle, offering a tangible intervention where awareness alone has fallen short. Beyond access, GH²O reframes how environmental harm is addressed at the community level. By combining product design, filtration technology, and a culturally rooted brand system, the project transforms awareness into action. It prioritizes long-term usability, local recognition, and sustainable materials over temporary media visibility.
By Sarah Johnson in Accra
