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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Philippines WASH Radio Campaign

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Originally aired from February to July 2009, the Philippines WASH Radio Campaign was designed to educate the public and call on local governments to increase their political commitment to provision of water supply, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH). The WASH Philippines Coalition and Silliman University's Office of Information and Publications broadcast the radio programme weekdays to the Visayas and Mindanao provinces over DYSR-FM 95.1.

Communication Strategies

Each radio spot in the Cebuano language sought to raise awareness and inspire people to advocate for improved WASH within their communities. Local governments and support agencies were also the intended audience. Some of the key messages included: low-cost WASH technologies are capable of reducing present and future poverty; improved WASH services can only be accomplished through enhanced political will, coordination, and collaboration of all stakeholders; even within a weak institutional environment at the national level, it is possible to improve water and sanitation performance at the local level.

Development Issues

Water, sanitation, and hygiene.

Key Points

Encouraged by the programme's success, the coalition and university extended the broadcasts beyond the initial 6-month period. The coalition plans to collaborate with more radio stations in other regions of the Philippines in the near future - and is even considering airing a television programme.

Sources

Water Supply and Sanitation Collaborative Council (WSSCC) website, February 24 2012; and email from Saskia Castelein to The Communication Initiative on March 2 2012.