About
THE LITTLE FISH STORY
Little Fish started with one question:
Why are we skipping the human step?
Our founder saw it too often—well-meaning programs, promising products, thoughtful strategies—falling short because they didn’t take the time to truly understand people. Not just the surface-level wants. The deeper needs. The unspoken beliefs. The everyday realities.
With a brain wired for patterns and a heart wired for people, she couldn’t look away. Armed with an Honours in Business Administration and a decade of hands-on experience in research, design, and innovation across North America, South America, East Africa, South Africa, and Southeast Asia—Justina has worked where the stakes are high and the answers aren’t obvious.
Little Fish was built to do the work others skip. To combine business thinking with behavioural insight and deep empathy. To move between systems and stories, and make insight real—fast.
We called it Little Fish so we never lose sight of the humans we’re designing for.
OUR APPROACH
Working across systems and boundaries
These four disciplines are our foundation, not our limits. Together, they help us make sense of what’s really going on—and what to do about it.
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Designing with—not just for—people.
We go beyond empathy interviews and surveys. We uncover what people need beneath what they say they want—and translate it into ideas, programs, prototypes, and solutions that actually stick. It’s not a linear process, and we don’t pretend it is. We start where you are, work with what you have, and build toward what matters.
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No problem lives in a vacuum.
We zoom out to see how people, processes, power, and pressure all come together. Whether you’re trying to figure out fragile systems or mature markets, our systems help you dive deep and untangle root causes from surface noise—so you’re solving the real problem, not just a visible one.
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People don’t always do what they say.
That’s why we study what they actually do—and why. We use behavioural insight to find friction points, decision drivers, and emotional blockers others miss. This lets us design smarter to push change, shift culture, and build trust.
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Impact only works if it also makes sense.
We tie insight to value—so you’re not just doing what’s right for people, but also what’s right for your model. From early-stage ideas to big changes, we help you make decisions that are human, grounded, and economically sound.
Designing with, not for
Real insight isn’t taken from a distance. It’s built through connection, respect, and trust.
We work alongside the people most impacted, not just to “understand” them—but to recognize their choices, expertise, and stake in the outcome.
Your approach is the best because we are living with these children, we are staying with these teachers, and I think that if there is project the last beneficiary must own it. If the last beneficiary owns this project, the project can last for long. Many projects die at this school because the approach that people use is not like this one.
Teacher, program participant
As someone who works in different communities a lot, I realise that it is easy to assume a role of an ‘expert’ who knows the needs of other similar communities. It is when I get deep in a community and start listening to lived experiences of the people of that community that my assumptions get challenged, and I obtain rich insights and true wisdom.
Thamsanqa, organization partner
With this approach, you can see that the community is not idle - they have things to contribute in. This also brings sustainability. The ideas are from them and they will see the ownership of the project because we have been involving them from the start up to where we are going.
Maryloema, organization trainee
OUR VISION
A world built for real people.
We envision a world where people feel truly seen in the things they use, touch, and experience—where joy and satisfaction aren’t afterthoughts, but the starting point.
OUR MISSION
To put humanity back at the heart of design.
We bring the human voice into design—so solutions don’t just function, they resonate. Little Fish helps organizations turn good intentions into real impact—by designing with, not around them.
OUR VALUES
Behind our ways, our works, and our whys
WE VALUE DIVERSITY
We treat every partner, peer, and participant with dignity. We share power, celebrate different strengths, and build better—together.
WE VALUE HUMILITY
We stay curious. We show up to listen, learn, and unlearn—because getting it right for others starts with working on ourselves.
WE VALUE EMPATHY
We lead with compassion. Whether someone is experiencing or causing the problems, we believe understanding is the first step to real change.
WE VALUE RELATIONSHIPS
We are relational, not transactional. We build relationships with partners, colleagues, and communities through authenticity and vulnerability.
WE VALUE INSIGHT-DRIVEN WORK
We don’t rest until we have found a true understanding of people and problems. We share our discoveries and help our partners respond to insights with action.
WE VALUE LASTING IMPACT
We care about delivering deep impact over temporary, surface-level impact, even if it costs more. We challenge assumptions and advocate for finding difficult truths.
OUR TEAM
The little fish behind Little Fish
Justina Ojom
Founder & Principal Consultant
Justina is a consultant with a decade of experience helping the social sector and private sector create more empathetic solutions.
She is an expert on how to meaningfully and safely involve people in designing the solutions that impact them, especially in challenging contexts (like in refugee camps), on sensitive topics (like domestic violence), and on complex issues (like education in emergency settings).
She also dances, acts, and climbs walls. If she could have one superpower, it would be to never need sleep. There’s too much fun and adventure to be had!