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.
 
Co-founder Victoria Martin is pleased to see this work continue under Wits' leadership. Victoria knows that co-founder Warren Feek (1953–2024) would have felt deep pride in The CI Global's Africa-led direction.
 
We honour the team and partners who sustained The CI for decades. Meanwhile, La Iniciativa de Comunicación (CILA) continues independently at cila.comminitcila.com and is linked with The CI Global site.
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Awareness Raising on Hand Hygiene - Reduction in School Absences due to Illness

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Strategy researched

An intensive campaign involving students, teachers, and parents that used booklets, games, and fun activities to promote hand hygiene

Impact achieved

Compared with results for the control group, in the intervention group, overall absences caused by influenza-like illness, diarrhoea, conjunctivitis, and laboratory-confirmed influenza were reduced by 40%, 30%, 67%, and 50%, respectively (p<0.0001 for each illness). In addition, laboratory-confirmed influenza decreased 47% in schools that participated in the 12-week intensive hand hygiene programme, compared to schools that did not participate. Absenteeism caused by diarrhoea was also 33% lower among schoolchildren in the schools that participated.

Country of study

Egypt

Research methodology

RCT (20,882 students in the intervention schools and 23,569 students in the control schools)

Journal

Emerging Infectious Diseases; 2011

Journal paper title and link

Effects of Hand Hygiene Campaigns on Incidence of Laboratory-confirmed Influenza and Absenteeism in Schoolchildren, Cairo, Egypt

Excerpt from Abstract

"Compared with results for the control group, in the intervention group, overall absences caused by ILI [influenza-like illness], diarrhea, conjunctivitis, and laboratory-confirmed influenza were reduced by 40%, 30%, 67%, and 50%, respectively (p<0.0001 for each illness). An intensive hand hygiene campaign was effective in reducing absenteeism caused by these illnesses."