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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FAHPAC Enter-Educate Troupe (FEET)

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FAHPAC Enter-Educate Troupe (FEET) is a youth entertainment project of the Family Health and Population Action Committee (FAHPAC), Nigeria. The project involves 20 in- and out-of-school youth ranging from ages 12-27. FEET aims to empower youth and women with information and skills for success in education, business ventures, democracy and governance, maternal and child health, and reproductive health through entertainment. The young participants adapt theatrical, musical, and dance techniques to address reproductive health and other issues related to community development.
Communication Strategies

The project works to provide comprehensive and integrated development programmes to adolescents, which include:

  • Family life/health education
  • Counselling (health, career, etc)
  • Youth-friendly clinic
  • Peer education and services
  • Training in video camera handling
  • Computer training
  • Recreational facilities


FEET provides outreach and mobilisation to increase awareness in schools, communities, and workplaces. It has created four video cassettes and two audio cassettes on adolescent reproductive health education, sexually transmitted infections (STIs), HIV/AIDS prevention and control, care and support for people living with HIV/AIDS, and drug and substance abuse control and prevention.

The project is collaborating with FAHPAC affiliate clinics, community-based health distributors, community-based organisations, community-based support groups for HIV/AIDS care and support, the media, and government to reach out to various groups and improve quality of life.

FEET strategies in implementing its programmes include:

  • Training and skills acquisition
  • Information, education and communication (IEC)
  • Mobilisation
  • Assessment and research
  • Integration and sustainability


The troupe is involved in community mobilisation performances to create awareness for the ongoing Vision project, a USAID-funded programme in five local government areas of Oyo state, Nigeria. The troupe has also been involved in training and mentoring of other local drama groups based in communities and schools.

Development Issues

HIV/AIDS, Reproductive Health, Youth, Women.

Key Points

FEET's objective is to provide information and educate communities on adolescent reproductive health, gender issues, democracy and governance, maternal and child health, STIs, HIV/AIDS prevention, care and support for people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWH/A).

Partners

FAHPAC and USAID.

Sources

Email sent from Janet Feldman to Soul Beat Africa on August 2 2004.