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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Family Affair

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This was a radio programme broadcast by the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation in 1990 as part of a larger mass media campaign to promote family planning. In response to popular demand, in 1993 Family Affair broadcasts expanded to a twice per week schedule in each of Ghana's predominant languages, English and Akan. This programme touches on both health and family planning issues.

The radio programme was one component of a larger $1.1 million project between Johns Hopkins Center for Communication Programs and the Ghana Ministry of Health.
Communication Strategies

The storyline for the radio programme Family Affair deals with Obo and his two wives, Adodo and Kawe.

Media Used:

  • Over 120 15-minute episodes aired twice weekly in English and Akan
  • 68 public service radio spots
  • 1 75-second radio announcement
  • 1 video documentary, Together We Care
  • 52 episodes of radio programme, Health Update
  • 7 posters, 6,000 copies total
  • 1 Family planning booklet, 5,000 copies
  • 10,000 copies of Health Today newsletter
  • 30 clinic sign boards
  • Promotional materials, including: T-shirts, flags, visors, buttons, etc. (1,627 units)
Development Issues

Family Planning, Health.

Key Points

The award-winning series proved to be popular. According to a Ministry of Health monitoring system that covers the entire nation, 38% of men and women had heard Family Affair nine months after it had been on the air. While listenership was greater among those who owned a working radio (47%), a substantial number of people without a radio (19 percent) had also heard the show.

Partners

Ghana Ministry of Health, Ghana Broadcasting Corporation, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health Center for Communication Programs.