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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Tasankha (Our Choice)

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Launched in July 2011, Malawi’s Tasankha ("Our Choice") campaign is a multimedia initiative under the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health Center for Communication Programs' BRIDGE II Project, a 5-year, United State Agency for International Development (USAID)-funded behaviour change communication initiative. The Tasankha campaign is working to promote family values and positive behavioural choices in addressing multiple and concurrent partnerships as a key driver of new HIV infections in Malawi, and includes posters, bandanas, and stickers.

Communication Strategies

The Tasankha campaign is designed to promote family values and positive behavioural choices, by supporting individuals and communities to better understand that "choices" are central to behaviour and to facilitate better behavioural choices around HIV prevention. The campaign has three phases. The first phase -“family values” - motivates people to cherish, support, and protect their loved ones. The next phase is "know your risk," which is designed to increase risk perception regarding multiple and concurrent partnerships and other related behaviours. Organisers say messages under this phase will help people understand that the choice to have more than sexual partner can put them in a sexual network, therefore putting them and their loved ones at risk of contracting HIV. The final phase - "reduce your risk" - encourages sexual partner reduction and leaving the sexual network.

The programme launch was held in Chiradzulu District and attended by Mary Shawa, the Principal Secretary in the Office of President and Cabinet responsible for HIV/AIDS and Nutrition, Emmanual Bulukutu, Acting District Commissioner for Chiradzulu, local leaders and other district offices, and representatives of various national HIV implementing organisations and media. The campaign was inaugurated with a parade that featured campaign posters and songs.

Click here to view or download project materials, including bandana designs, stickers, t-shirts, and posters.

Development Issues

HIV/AIDS

Sources

Center for Communication Programs website on June 12 2011.