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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Khuluma Community Radio Project

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Khuluma Community Radio Project established a number of community radio stations in South Africa to give different community a chance to express themselves. The stations broadcast in indigenous languages. "The project was developed after the country’s first democratic elections in 1994 to give back to the people what apartheid took away from them: the right to express themselves.”
Communication Strategies
The project started with community radio stations in the main townships and a few rural areas. Non governmental organisations and several diplomatic missions assisted the project by sending experts on the field and bought equipment to be given to the stations.

The project held its first bilateral steering committee in Pretoria in October 2003. It was decided that the first training sessions organised under the Khuluma flag should focus on the then forthcoming 2004 general and provincial elections, in direct line with the recommendation of the project that has to reinforce the democratic life in the country.

The objectives of training programme included to:
  • introduce local government and community radio station staff to the “Facilitation of Communication Between Local Government and Community Radio Stations Project”
  • introduce Local Government officials to the community radio station as a medium that can be used to inform communities and facilitate service delivery by the municipality
  • build an understanding by community radio station staff of local government programs and processes.
  • provide a forum to community radio stations and local government officials to initiate a process of working together.
The radio stations are spread country wide and they are: Gauteng TNG Community radio, Gauteng Rainbow FM, Gauteng Jozi FM, Gauteng Soshanguve Gauteng Alx Fm, Gauteng Radio Islam, Western Cape Bush Radio, Western Cape Radio, Western Cape UWC radio, North West Province Mafisa Community radio, North West Province Moretele CR,Free State, Free State Lentswe FM, Free State Mosupatsela CR, Free State Naledi CR, Free State Qwa Qwa CR, Free State Setsoto CR, Kwazulu-Natal Radio Khwezi, Kwazulu Natal Durban Youth Kwazulu-Natal The Voice of the Midlands/Pietermaritzburg, Kwazulu-Natal Icora FM, Kwazulu-Natal Maputaland CR, Kwazulu-Natal Izwilomzantsi CR, Limpopo Radio Turf University of the North, Limpopo Mohodi Community radio Mohodi, Limpopo Mokopane Community Radio, Limpopo Moletje Progressive CR, Limpopo Botlokwa CR, Limpopo Univen CR, Eastern Cape Cbfm, Eastern Cape Khanya Community Radio, Eastern Cape Vukani Community Radio/Cala, Eastern Cape Radio Graaff Reinet, Eastern Cape Radio Grahamstown, Eastern Cape Unitra CR, Eastern Cape Takalani CR, Northern Cape Riverside Community Radio, Northern Cape Teemaneng Community radio, Northern Cape Radio Kaboesna Calvinia, Mpumalanga Greater Middleburg FM and Mpumalanga Barberton Community Radio
Development Issues
Political development.
Key Points
“Community radio stations were established to give particular attention to rural and semi-urban communities that were not well served by the main-stream media. Since 1994, community radio has gained momentum as an agent of change and information delivery to communities across South Africa.”
Partners

Johnnic Communication, ABC Ulwazi, Chiwoniso, Samro, Franco Phone, Department of Communication.

Sources

Nemisa website on February 14 2006.

Comments

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Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Wed, 03/01/2006 - 09:21 Permalink

This is the first webpage that popped up on Google when I searched for "Limpopo Community Radio Forum." I appreciate all the background info on the Khuluma Community Radio Project.