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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Impact Data - Kenya Youth Initiatives Project

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Date
Practices
Radio became the leading source of referral to youth clinics, increasing from 23% at the beginning of the programme to 56% within four months of its start while all other sources remained constant or declined. The clinic showed a steady increase in the number of youth being referred to the clinic throughout the course of the programme. 39% of youth had heard the Youth Variety Show in March 1995, 40% in April, 51% in May, and 71% in June.
Increased Discussion of Development Issues
Nearly 1.1 million youth recommended the programme to a friend.
Access
56% of the population were listening to the Youth Variety Show (approx. 3.3 million adolescents), 1/5 of the population listened avidly to the programme. Roughly 41% of the adults were listening to the programme, this rose significantly between the first and second evaluations. About 40% of the adolescent population were also listening to Dau La Ujana.
Source
Kiragu, K., Sienche, C., Obkawa, E., Odallo, D., and Barth, S. 1998 Adolescent Redroductive Health Needs in Kenya: A Communication response - Evaluation of the Kenya Youth Initiatives Project. The Johns Hopkins School of Public Health, Centre for Communication Programs, Baltimore, USA.