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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Jango Youth Centre

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Jango Youth Centre provides Angolan youth with information on family planning and HIV/AIDS through plays and workshops. Housed in a well-equipped building in Viana, 15 km from the capital (Luanda), the centre offers 1200 children and young people between the ages of 12 and 24 activities ranging from basketball to information technology and English lessons. It aims to grab the imagination of Angolan teenagers, and help them steer clear of HIV/AIDS infection. The centre also educates youth about the risks of unprotected sex while providing them with a place to meet friends and socialise.
Communication Strategies

The centre uses the peer group pressure approach instead of doctors, nurses, and parents to "lay down the law". Organisers say it has an atmosphere like a trendy youth club. It uses television and music including a "cool guy" who raps anti-AIDS messages to encourage debate on the issues surrounding sexual ethics, rape, and sexually transmitted infections.

Counsellors are on hand to help with HIV/AIDS issues as well as some of the deeper problems afflicting Angolans after almost three decades of war. Topics raised are channelled into the theatre group, which performs at the club each Saturday during half time at the weekly basketball tournament and takes its plays out to the local community.

Development Issues

Children, Youth, HIV/AIDS.

Key Points

In an effort to help young Angolans escape the HIV/AIDS epidemic, the centre also sells condoms for five kwanza (US $0.08), a fraction of what they cost in Luanda.

Jango hopes to pass on its safe sex message in a fun way, and is designed to get teenagers back into a positive cycle of socialising and learning. It also hopes to give youth the opportunity and the tools to choose a better life for themselves.

Partners

UN Children's Fund (UNICEF), Cuidados da Infancia, Population Services International(PSI), Corporate foundations, US Agency for International Development (USAID), US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, United States-Angola Chamber of Commerce.

Sources

ActAlive October 20 2004.