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.
 
Co-founder Victoria Martin is pleased to see this work continue under Wits' leadership. Victoria knows that co-founder Warren Feek (1953–2024) would have felt deep pride in The CI Global's Africa-led direction.
 
We honour the team and partners who sustained The CI for decades. Meanwhile, La Iniciativa de Comunicación (CILA) continues independently at lainiciativadecomunicacion.com and is linked with The CI Global site.
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Si Mchezo!(No Joke)

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Si Mchezo! (‘No Joke!’ in Swahili) magazine is a Femina HIP (Health Information Project) product that targets rural, out-of-school youth, aged 15-25, and their communities with messages about HIV/AIDS, healthy lifestyles, sexuality, job creation skills, and entrepreneurship.
Communication Strategies

The magazine is written in Swahili language and messages are tailored for a semi-literate audience.

Si Mchezo! provides an opportunity for its readers’ voices to be heard through individual testimonials and depicts real life critical situations through photo stories and animations. According to Femina HIP, the success of Si Mchezo! magazine is largely due to its community-based editorial collection process. For every issue, editors travel to rural communities with a digital camera and document the real-life stories and views of ordinary people.

According to the publishers, the magazine is also being used as a tool for peer educators, who use the content to facilitate dialogue and help equip the local communities with life skills and the ability to make healthy life choices.

Development Issues

Youth, HIV/AIDS.

Key Points

Si Mchezo! magazine is currently distributed free of charge or in a "barter for transportation" agreement to more than 200 partner organisations in Tanzania including large-scale work places, civil society organisations, and local government, with a special focus on rural areas. 150,000 copies (in 2008) of every issue are distributed every two months with an estimated 15 readers per copy. Further expansion is planned and a User Guide is also available.

Partners

Swedish International Development Cooperation (Sida), the Royal Danish Embassy, the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation, the Royal Norwegian Embassy, USAID/PEPFAR, Gesellschaft für Technische Zusammenarbeit (GTZ), and the Rapid Funding Envelope.

Sources

USAID website on August 3 2006 and email received from Diana Nyakyi, Femina HIP, on July 30 2008.