Media development action with informed and engaged societies

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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Ashe Transformational Model

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Theory Summary

This model was developed by the Ashe Performing Arts Company, based in Kingston, Jamaica. "Ashe," a Yoruba word used in Western Africa spirituality, literally means "the strength, the power, and the God within."

The Transformational Model that Ashe uses is based on the image of people moving from the stage of a 'caterpillar' to that of a 'butterfly'. It is really about letting go of the old way of being and creating a new way that is healthy and beneficial for all. There are three basic stages of this transformational process:
i. Recognition
ii. Die to the Old
iii. Be Born Anew

In the Recognition stage, participants in the programme come to an awareness of their own spiritual values and principles and look at issues of integrity. They also come to align themselves with a higher concept of life and way of being. They then Die to the Old. This is in keeping with the Afro-Caribbean 'wake' concept of death birth in the cycle/circle of life. Participants give up negative stereotypes about themselves and others, through forgiveness work and other techniques. In so doing, they free up themselves to Be Born Anew and fulfill the mandate that Ashe has as its mission – 'to live a life of integrity and fulfillment, doing what they love and loving what they do.'

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Source

Ashe website, April 16 2010.

Contact
Ashe Caribbean Performing Arts Ensemble & Academy
Kingston 6
P.O. Box 5014
Jamaica
Tel: 876 960 2985
Fax: 876 960 2985
Ashe website
Ashe online contact form