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 - AIDS Interventions with Churches

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The purpose of this project was to increase the number and capacity of Kenyan churches initiating and managing effective, culturally appropriate, and locally sustainable HIV/AIDS control programmes within their communities. The project was designed to influence the church congregations as well as the clergy.

Methodologies
The evaluation was conducted using baseline and end-of-project follow-up research (quantitative Knowledge, Attitudes, Behavior, and Practices [KABP] survey and focus group discussions) among church leaders and church youth, aged 12-19.
Knowledge Shifts
Greater than 80% of youth and church leaders identified at least 2 correct strategies for HIV/AIDS prevention. The percent of respondents identifying these strategies increased by as much as 15%.
Practices
60% of church leaders were providing services to people living with AIDS (PLWA), and while counselling of PLWAs increased by 6% overall, it was 17% higher among clergy who participated in the project than those who did not. Among youth respondents, there was a decrease in the number of sexual partners, in the range of 50 - 75% between 1994 and 1996. 41% of youth decided to have sex with only one partner, compared to 25% in 1994.

There were solid indicators of changed behaviour as a result of this programme. These indicators were seen in the choices impacted youth were making as to preferred source of information about sex and sexuality - e.g., choices about number of, and attitudes toward, sexual partners.
Attitudes
55% of church pastors felt that the churches were responding well to the AIDS crisis, an increase from only 2% in 1994. There was also a significant reduction in the number of pastors who believed that AIDS was a curse from God.
Increased Discussion of Development Issues
Greater than 93% of respondents indicated they were involved in counselling activities. The frequency of discussion of sexual matters, HIV/AIDS, male/female relationships, and parent/youth issues increased anywhere from 15 to 20%.
Access
Some 1.5 million rural Kenyans viewed the movie "Springs of Life" run by the mobile national cinema van alone; overall, 2,444,700 Kenyans were exposed to the message. In addition, the 105 clergy members (who had been trained) contacted over 56,400 people in under 3 months through 576 different activities of various types.
Other Impacts
Some of the lessons learned included:
  • Providing current, reliable information to church leadership was an essential element in empowering them to speak out on policy issues related to AIDS - and the clergy were "shocked" into taking the HIV threat in their communities seriously.
  • Information and comparative examples were of prime interest to churches - rather than specific advice, counsel, or policy recommendations.
  • Pastoral training workshops were important for the education of clergy but also contributed to their own networking and ability to share information more fully.
Source
Family Health International AIDS Control and Prevention Project - Final Report for the AIDSCAP Program in Kenya. September 1992 to December 1997 pages 137-142. A project funded by USAID. Click here for the online version.