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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Who's Next? – Zimbabwe

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Who's Next? is a TV talk show aimed at promoting safer sex and sexual health among Zimbabwe's urban youth. It's objective is to get young people discussing issues and reaches 700,000 viewers.
Communication Strategies
The programme centres on the issues that affect young people generally and personally, including peer pressure, counselling, HIV and communication between parents and young people.

The talk show is not held in a studio with an audience. ,It "barges in" on the youth wherever they are gathered and questions them on their activities, in an entertaining way. Once the youth are engaged, the talk show host brings in positive HIV/AIDS messages.
Development Issues
HIV/AIDS, Youth
Key Points
In 2003, the show won a National Arts Merit Award (NAMA), with producer/presenter Garikayi Chawasarira scooping a UNAIDS Southern Africa Youth Initiative on AIDS recognition of his media service to Zimbabwe.

The programme organisers say Who's Next? aims to teach responsible sexual behaviour to adolescents.
Partners

UNAIDS, National AIDS Council, and Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation.

Sources

Irin website on May 17 2004.