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

Time to read
1 minute
Print
a- a+
Published 21 years ago
Last updated 1 year ago
Read so far

Buddies for Love

1 comment
Buddies for Love is a theatre for development project created by the Patsimeredu Edutainment Trust that uses drama to address facts and fiction about HIV/AIDS with young people. Developed as a response to the epidemic in Zimbabwe, it also aims to challenge negative perceptions and attitudes regarding people infected and affected by HIV/AIDS.
Communication Strategies

The programme uses theatre to disseminate HIV/AIDS information and promotes behaviour change among youth in Zimbabwe. Buddies for Love was developed to facilitate communication by stimulating debate, dialogue, and discussion to enhance youth participation in HIV/AIDS prevention, care, and treatment. The project is geared toward in-school youth so that children can enhance communication in their communities.

The programme aims to dispel some of the HIV/AIDS myths by engaging youth in contemporary HIV/AIDS issues. Buddies for Love aims to deal with stigma and discrimination by giving HIV/AIDS a human face. It addresses negative attitudes towards people infected and affected by emphasising the need for friendship and peer support, and provides practical advice for young caregivers and communities to fight stigma and discrimination.

Buddies for Love aims to reach areas and audiences that other media cannot reach to get students talking about difficult issues. The show presents situations relevant to them through drama and improvisation. The performances are followed by discussions, which are aimed at helping the students to share what they have learned and how it relates to their lives and community.

To support the theatre production, the organisers also distribute print materials, including posters, brochures, booklets, and magazines.

Development Issues

HIV/AIDS, Youth, Children.

Key Points

The project aims to move beyond providing information and use an interactive process to engage youth and encourage them to talk more about HIV/AIDS with their peers, families, and communities. Patsimeredu Edutainment Trust believes that young people are well placed to deal with issues that affect them, including HIV/AIDS.

Partners

Patsimeredu Edutainment Trust, Southern Africa AIDS Information Dissemination Service (SAfAIDS).

Sources

KIT website on June 7 2005.

Comments

User Image
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Tue, 12/16/2008 - 00:08 Permalink

With rising infections there is a demand in new prevention approaches.

Tomson Phiri
Zimbabwe