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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Mobile VCT Outreach – Zimbabwe

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Population Services International (PSI) has launched a voluntary counseling and testing (VCT) programme that uses entertainment as part of mobile health outreach. The programme travels to about 20 rural and peri-urban locations, delivering medical services to people living outside the reach of stationary New Start centres. The programme addresses sexually active couples and high-risk STD/AIDS populations. It is focussed on reproductive health, including family planning, STI management and AIDS prevention. In the words of organisers, this programme aims "to provide an entertaining educational format and an arena for reflection and discussion of complex issues such as HIV/AIDS prevention and risk behavior."
Communication Strategies
The mobile health service combines VCT care with various media programmes to educate the populations being addressed about HIV/AIDS. Specifically,
  • "Studio 263": viewers follow characters in this television programme as they confront and react to situations with implications for their reproductive health and "experience" the negative and positive outcomes along with the characters before these outcomes affect viewers in real life.
  • "This is Life": this 1-hour TV talk-show addresses HIV/AIDS prevention issues including abstinence, delayed onset of sexual activity, early treatment of sexually transmitted infections, alcohol use and abuse, and cultural and social norms.
  • "From Me to You": a radio programme addressing topics and questions raised by Zimbabwean youth on the PSI/Zimbabwe's reproductive health hotline.
Development Issues
Family Planning, HIV/AIDS.
Key Points
Organisers say that, as the programme progresses, they will place greater emphasis on the motivational side of behaviour change and expand edutainment and interpersonal communications techniques.

Organisers say that, when compared with clients seen at static VCT sites, mobile outreach tends to attract more female clients, more clients above the age of 30, and significantly more HIV positive clients.
Partners

PSI, USAID, DFID, Coca-Cola, Zimbabwean Post Office, and the Embassy of Japan.

Sources

PSI site.