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

Time to read
less than
1 minute
Print
a- a+
Published 21 years ago
Last updated 1 year ago
Read so far

Voluntary Youth Philanthropists - Kenya

0 comments
The Voluntary Youth Philanthropists project is a Kenyan HIV/AIDS awareness project that incorporates the use of a camel caravan from Isiolo to Mombasa, a distance of 1030 km. The main objective of the caravan is to lobby and advocate for youth issues.
Communication Strategies
The project aims to create awareness about the existing national youth policy/millennium development goals by sensitising the youth on HIV/AIDs, drug abuse and information communication technology (ICT). It also aims to bring youth issues to the centre of national debate.

Activities during the trail include popularising of the National Youth Policy final draft and its shortcomings, disseminating other information to youth on HIV/AIDS, drug abuse and other important matters, using drama, poems, dances and art graphics to publicise the issues behind the event, and holding forums for speeches, talks and youth sharing.
Development Issues
Economic development, Youth
Key Points
The objectives of the caravan are to lobby and advocate foryouth issues, and to recognise the contribution of young people in efforts geared at realising their full potential in society.

Caravan goals are to:
  • Create awareness on the existing National Youth Policy
  • Sensitise youth about HIV/AIDS and drug abuse
  • Encourage youth to participate in national development
Source
Janet Feldman sent an e-mail to Soul Beat Africa on September 29 2004.