Lisa Wee teams up with One Billion

Malaysian illustrator, Lisa Wee, recently teamed up with onebillion, a non-profit organisation based in London, whose aim is to bring educational software to children around the world. Through their projects they are fully committed to giving all children the skills they need to unlock their individual talents.

Lisa shared what it was like working on this project with onebillion and how she took inspiration from her own experience:

“I lived in Kenya for 12 years, so this project felt especially close to my heart. Although the brief was set in Malawi, educational storytelling carries a universal language.

Working on onebillion’s brief about a Malawian girl whose fears transform into a monster was a deeply meaningful experience. I wanted the monster to feel both real and rooted, so I drew inspiration from Gule Wamkulu and the honey badger.

Children often imagine from what they already know and have seen. By grounding the monster in familiar cultural elements—like traditional masked dances—and a recognisable local animal, the story becomes more tangible and authentic. At the same time, fear itself is universal, allowing the narrative to resonate far beyond Malawi.

It was a careful balance: staying true to the local context while creating something any child, anywhere, could connect with.

What I loved most was the opportunity to bring lesser-seen cultures into focus, creating something both specific and universal at once. It felt meaningful to draw from my own experiences in Africa and translate that into a story that can connect across borders.

Thank you to Amy and the onebillion team for the opportunity.”

If you’d like to work with Lisa, please contact: [email protected]

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