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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Nditha Campaign

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Launched in 2005, the Nditha! campaign is a national HIV prevention mass media programme that aims to highlight the small everyday actions that Malawians can take to reduce their risk of HIV/AIDS infection. Nditha!, which means "I Can!" in the Chichewa language, combines nationwide radio, billboards, posters, and community outreach to emphasise that Malawians themselves can prevent the spread of HIV/AIDS. The goal of the campaign is to reinforce a feeling of confidence among Malawians that they personally have the ability to prevent HIV/AIDS. The campaign was developed by the BRIDGE project (a collaboration between the Johns Hopkins Center for Communication Programs and Save the Children Federation) in partnership with TopAd Agency. The Health Education Unit in Malawi's Ministry of Health, the National AIDS Commission, and local non-governmental organisation (NGO) partners provided technical assistance on the development of the campaign's creative materials.
Communication Strategies

The campaign highlights the importance of promoting openness and support in order to lead people to greater adherence to the "ABCs" (abstinence, be faithful, or use condoms) of HIV/AIDS prevention. Such small actions include discussion about HIV with family members, friends supporting each other to avoid risky situations, and community leaders speaking openly about HIV and the ABC approach.

 

Nditha! messages are heard on MBC, Capital FM, Power 101, and TransWorld Radio. Billboards and community outreach events take place in Lilongwe, Blantyre and the eight BRIDGE emphasis districts (Balaka, Chikwawa, Kasungu, Mangochi, Mulanje, Mzimba, Ntcheu, and Salima). The campaign also distributes posters and print materials to health centres, NGOs and community-based organisations (CBOs) nationwide.

Development Issues

HIV/AIDS.

Key Points

The campaign is based on research conducted by the BRIDGE project, which showed that knowledge and awareness of the "ABC" messages is high among Malawians. However, prevention efforts are impeded because many Malawians feel they have little control over their lives and more especially they do not believe there is anything they can do to prevent HIV infection. Prevention efforts are further hampered by the lack of open communication around HIV and AIDS issues and the relative lack of personal risk perception that respondents felt.

Partners

The BRIDGE project, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health Center for Communication Programs (CCP), Save the Children Federation, TopAd Agency, Malawi Ministry of Health - Health Education Unit, National AIDS Commission, and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).

Sources

CCP website on October 24 2006.

Teaser Image
http://www.jhuccp.org/africa/malawi/images/nditha_banner.gif