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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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C.H.I.L.D. Project - Uganda

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The C.H.I.L.D. (Community and Home Initiatives for Longterm Development: Nutrition and Early Childhood Development) Project was initiated by the World Bank and the Ministry of Health to promote the health and development of children. A larger goal was to improve the quality of life of 2.4 million children in 25 districts in West and Central Africa. Within families and communities, the C.H.I.L.D. project was designed to:
  • Create awareness of the needs and rights of their children;
  • Build on their knowledge and skills and help them provide appropriate care, diet, stimulation, and protection for their child;
  • Help to generate additional resources and manage their money efficiently in order to provide adequate childcare.
Communication Strategies

The project's communication strategy involved increasing knowledge, fostering positive attitudes, and promoting specific behaviours in the following areas:

  1. Complementary feeding practices and food security
  2. Hygiene and sanitation practices
  3. Early Childhood development and positive parental interaction (PPI)


The project began with Formative Communication Research to identify the beliefs and perceptions of the target audiences, guide the communications strategy process, and develop 'client-oriented' messages.

Development Issues

Early Childhood Development, Children, Rights, Health.

Key Points

38% of children under six years of age in Uganda are affected by stunting, in comparison to two percent of the general population worldwide. Therefore nearly half of Uganda's young children are physically under developed as well mentally under developed. If these problems are not addressed and rectified before a child reaches the age of six, that child will be stunted for life.

Partners

World Bank in partnership with Ministry of Health.

Sources

Letter from Prasanthi Gondi, UNICEF on January 28, 2003.