A graphic design student at Limkokwing University of Creative Technology, Lenkoe Setlai, has been selected to design the new brand identity for Bonolo Health, a medication distribution programme under the Ministry of Health.
Setlai said the rebrand originated from a design competition held at the university, where students were tasked with developing a new identity for the programme. The winning concept would become the official brand, and his design was ultimately selected.
He explained that the project aimed to create a healthcare identity that would resonate culturally with Basotho while maintaining a modern and professional image.
“This made the project very meaningful to me because it moved beyond being just a school project and became a real public healthcare rebrand,” said Setlai.
The rebrand came during a transition period in which support structures around the project were changing. Organisations including Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation, Right to Care, and other partners had previously supported healthcare initiatives linked to the programme.
Following changes in international aid funding and the Ministry of Health taking a more direct role, the organisation required a new identity reflecting its future direction.
Setlai explained that many healthcare brands often appear generic or overly clinical, and he wanted Bonolo Health to feel familiar, emotionally connected, and rooted in Lesotho’s culture. As a result, the logo drew heavy inspiration from the Basotho blanket.
“The challenge I encountered was balancing modern healthcare branding with cultural authenticity,” he said.
He noted that there was little direct competition locally, as medication dispensing through e-lockers remains a unique concept in Lesotho.
Instead of focusing on competitors, his research concentrated on the healthcare sector and the people the brand serves, from older generations to the young.
The symbol was created using repeated and rotated forms inspired by Basotho blanket motifs, producing a sense of harmony, unity, and continuity.
At the centre of the design is a red cross element that subtly references healthcare without making the identity feel overly clinical.
Setlai said the typography was selected to appear modern, clean, approachable, and easy to read across both digital and physical platforms. He wanted the wordmark to balance professionalism with warmth.
The overall identity was designed to remain culturally authentic while functioning effectively as a contemporary healthcare brand.
According to Setlai, the colour palette was informed by healthcare psychology and emotional communication.
“The darker blue tone represents trust, reliability, professionalism, and stability, while the lighter blue introduces calmness, accessibility, care, and approachability, which helps soften the brand and make it feel more human-centred,” he pointed out.
After completing the identity design, Setlai tested how the logo performed across different applications, including digital platforms, print materials, signage, social media, packaging, and smaller formats such as app icons and profile images.
He also created multiple responsive logo variations, including horizontal, vertical, monochrome, and simplified versions to ensure the brand remained recognisable and functional in different environments.
“The simplicity and balance of the symbol helped ensure clarity even at very small sizes,” he said.
According to Setlai, the project took several months to complete due to an ongoing review process involving stakeholders connected to the Ministry of Health and other partners.
The process included presenting draft concepts, receiving feedback, refining the designs, and submitting revised versions.
His role as a designer extended beyond creating visuals to providing creative direction and explaining the strategic reasoning behind design decisions.
Beyond the logo, Setlai also contributed to the redesign of Bonolo Health’s e-lockers, which form a major part of the service experience.
He further developed supporting materials such as flyers and logo application systems. The final brand package included multiple logo variations for different uses and platforms to ensure consistency.
Setlai said the experience taught him the importance of balancing collaboration, feedback, strategy, and creative direction while protecting the integrity of the final design.
“Projects of this scale help build confidence and push you further into the industry because they prove that your ideas can exist and function in the real world.
“It reinforced my passion for brand identity design and showed me the importance of creating work that is both strategic and culturally meaningful,” he added.
