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 - Al Manaahil - Jordan

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Methodologies
  • A total of 1,300 tests were administered to children in 13 different schools, in grades 1-4 in 1986 and 1987. The schools spanned urban and rural areas and served both middle- and low-income groups. Those tested in 1986 (prior to the programme's broadcast) were the control group, while those tested in 1987 (after the programme's broadcast) were the experimental group
  • 86 adult illiterates were tested
  • 173 faculty members and parents responded to a general questionnaire regarding familiarity with and viewing of Al Manaahil
Knowledge Shifts
The programme had a positive impact on children's reading skills. The positive findings were replicated in Government schools, United Nations schools, and private schools. The findings were similar for boys and girls.
Access
  • The majority of children who participated in the testing programme reported that they watched the Al Manaahil programme and liked it.
  • 40% of the adult illiterates involved in the evaluation reported that they watched the programmes on a regular basis; this group performed better than a group of 28 adults who did not watch the series at all.
Source
"The Use of Mainstream Media to Encourage Social Responsibility: The International Experience" - The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation - Prepared by: Jennifer Daves and Liza Nickerson - The Media Project.