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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HIV/AIDS Prevention Public Service Announcements - Zambia

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As part of a Population Services International (PSI) mass media campaign, former president of Zambia Dr. Kenneth David Kaunda filmed ten television and radio public service announcements (PSAs) in an effort to curb the spread of HIV/AIDS in Africa. The PSAs began airing on Zambian television in December 2002. Photographs of Dr. Kaunda will be featured in print and outdoor advertising. The campaign addresses stigma associated with HIV/AIDS, while also promoting condom use, HIV testing, and expressions of compassion toward HIV-positive individuals.
Communication Strategies
The PSAs, which air on Zambian television and radio, may be viewed by clicking here. The spots are a collaboration between Dr. Kaunda and the Society for Family Health (SFH), PSI's local affiliate. The messages, which were produced by SFH but personally edited by Dr. Kaunda, promote understanding and love for HIV positive people, faithfulness and condom use, and VCT. "My own son died of AIDS in 1986," Dr. Kaunda says in one spot. "There were some who thought I should remain silent about it. But...I tell you, if we are to win the battle, we must confront this problem openly." In all three of the VCT spots, he mentions that he himself has already been tested, and that he made the result public. The end of each spot features Dr. Kaunda singing "We will fight and conquer AIDS," his reworking of a song he and other independence leaders used to sing during the fight against colonialism.
Development Issues
HIV/AIDS.
Key Points
Dr. Kaunda sees his role in the fight against HIV/AIDS extending beyond the borders of Zambia. He personally changed the original slogan of the campaign "One Zambia, One Hope, One Future" (a play on the Zambian national motto "One Zambia, One Nation) to "One Africa, One Hope, One Future." One of the reasons was that he hopes the spots can be used in other countries.
Partners

PSI, SFH. PSI/Zambia is supported by The US Agency for International Development (USAID), Kreditanstaltfur Wiederaufbau (KfW), Department for International Development (DFID), Centers for Disease Control (CDC), John Snow, Inc. (JSI, through USAID).

Sources

"Kaunda Tapes AIDS Prevention TV Spots for PSI", by David L. Olson, PSI site; andDaily HIV/AIDS Report, dated February 6 2003, on the Kaiser site.