The Communication Initiative
Development action with informed and engaged societies
The Communication Initiative

After nearly 28 years, The Communication Initiative (The CI) Global is entering a new chapter. 

Following a period of transition, the global website has been transferred to the University of the Witwatersrand (Wits) in South Africa, where it will be administered by the Social and Behaviour Change Communication Division. Wits' commitment to social change and justice makes it a trusted steward for The CI's legacy and future. 

On the transfer, co-founder Victoria Martin expressed her pleasure to see this work continue under Wits' leadership, knowing that co-founder Warren Feek (1953–2024) would have felt deep pride in The CI Global's Africa-led direction. 

As Wits, we honour the team and partners who sustained The CI for decades and look forward building from that strong base. This includes co-founders Warren Feek (1953-2024) and Victoria Martin as well as La Iniciativa de Comunicación (CILA), which continues independently at lainiciativadecomunicacion.com with links to The CI Global site. We are also eager to forge new partnerships and entertain new ideas as we consider how best to contribute to social and behaviour change in our rapidly evolving environment.

If you are joining the International Social and Behaviour Change Communication (SBCC) Summit in Panama, please join Wits and CILA on Monday, 22 June, to share your thoughts and suggestion for the relaunch of the Communication Initiative. We will be in Pacifica 5 from 12-1:25 for the Refuel, Reflect, and Renew Lunch Series: The Communication Initiative: celebrating a driving force for Communication for Social Change and the way forward. We will reflect on the legacy of Warren Feek and family in creating the Communication Initiative, consider the contributions of CI over the years and then turn our attention towards the future in this dynamic session. 

If you are unable to join us in Panama, we still want to hear from you. Please contribute your thoughts by following this link: https://redcap.link/CommunicationInitiative2026 or reaching out to ci_surveys@commint.com. 

You can also follow the QR Code:

 https://redcap.link/CommunicationInitiative2026

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South African Community Radio AIDS Network - South Africa

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The SA Community Radio AIDS Network grew out of community radio training workshops coordinated by the AIDS 2000 organisation in April 2000 and October 2000. The basic structure of the Network was formulated at the October 2000 workshop in Durban. This programme highlights what the community radio sector in South Africa (SA) is doing in the fight against HIV/AIDS.
Communication Strategies
Activities to Date:
  • AIDS Foundation-NCRF Training Workshops: early 2000;
  • AIDS Foundation-NCRF Workshop: SA Community Radio AIDS Network established: October 2000, Durban;
  • AIDS Foundation-National Community Radio Forum-SANGONeT;
  • "AIDS Radio Programming and ICTs (Information and Communications Technologies)" Training Workshop: April 2001, Johannesburg;
  • Bush Radio/South African Community Radio Aids Initiative (SACRAI) Workshop: June 2001, Cape Town;
  • South African Medical Research Council (MRC) Workshop: July 31-Aug.1, 2001, Cape Town;
  • Oct. 2001: South African National Editors Forum (SANEF)-Soul City-Health-e, Department of Health: Training workshop in Johannesburg and Kimberley; and
  • Sep. 2001 to date: Developing Countries Farm Radio Network (DCFRN): Sharing of HIV/AIDS scripts and information.Upcoming Activities
  • Dec. 1, 2001: World AIDS Day - AIDS Network will work with local NGOs in their communities.
The motto, which is "Try It!", was chosen by participants at the Durban Workshop to call for South Africans to try new types of behaviour to avoid HIV/AIDS; to behave properly towards those who have contracted the HIV virus; and when necessary to live a full life if they are living with HIV or AIDS. Whether the new behaviour is abstinence, using condoms, not disrespecting your partner, not discriminating against someone living with HIV or AIDS, or respecting yourself if you are living with HIV/AIDS, this Network will dare community radio listeners to give it a try. "Be safe - try it!" "Respect your partner - try it!" "Wear a condom - try it!" "Accept those people living with HIV/AIDS - try it!" "Live a long life with HIV - try it!" "Talk about sex with your parents - try it!"
Development Issues
HIV/AIDS.
Key Points
The National Community Radio Forum (NCRF) is the umbrella body of over one hundred community radio stations in all nine provinces of South Africa that performs lobbying and advocacy for licensing of community radio stations in SA. The NCRF is a membership-driven NGO whose members include community radio initiatives, training providers, and other associated members who work in the same sector. The NCRF coordinates training for its members and offer other essential support for new initiatives in the community radio sector.

For a long time there has been talk about the importance of networking between and among community radio stations in South Africa. This SA Community Radio AIDS Network seeks to ensure that community radio producers become aware of issues and behaviours related to HIV/AIDS, and begin to talk about them.
Partners

NCRF, AIDS 2000.

Sources

Letter sent from NCRF Info [info@ncrf.org.za] to the Communication Initiative on January 11, 2002.

Comments

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Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Tue, 11/30/1999 - 00:00 Permalink

I FOUND THIS PAGE NOT USEFUL BECAUSE I AM TRYING TO DO AN ESSAY FOR SCHOOL AND THE TEACHER WANTS US TO ANSWER THESE QUESTIONS: WHERE DOES AIDS COME FROM, WHAT COMMUNITY DOES AIDS USUALYY FOUND, AND WAT SPREAD AIDS?