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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AIDS Surveillance and Education Project - Philippines

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This project was started in 1992 in Manila with the objective of institutionalising both public and private sector mechanisms, reducing sexual risk behaviour and increasing the capabilities of local NGO's. This was conducted especially through the use of mass media materials, community outreach and peer education.
Communication Strategies

Trainings have focused on project and financial management; behavioral research; media materials development; community outreach and peer education; harm reduction for IDU's; STD prevention and syndromic management; condom distribution; and project reporting, monitoring, and evaluation.
Development Issues

STD's and HIV/AIDS, peer education, prostitution, harm reduction, injection drug users
Key Points

Local NGO strengthening was accomplished between local health offices, resulting in high-quality interventions and increased coordination. After an evaluation in 1997, future goals for this project were determined, including: maintaining a focus on peer education, increasing the strengthening of NGO's, and changing existing cultural norms.
Partners



Philippine Department of Health, USAID, PATH

Sources

From Assessment Report - Special Objective: Rapid Increase of HIV/AIDS Prevented; a report prepared for USAID/Philippines by Hermann, C. et al., February 10, 1997.

Website: Click here to view.