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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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4Play: Sex Tips for Girls

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Broadcast in 2010, 4Play: Sex Tips for Girls was a television drama series which followed the lives of four thirty-something Johannesburg professional women as they negotiate sex, love and relationships in a contemporary, honest and often funny way. Besides being entertaining, the show also seeks to deal openly with issues of sexuality, highlighting risky behaviours, such as infidelity and alcohol abuse, that put young people at risk of HIV infection. 4Play was written and produced by Curious Pictures for Johns Hopkins Health and Education in South Africa (JHHESA).
Communication Strategies

The drama focused on the hair and beauty salon of single mother and entrepreneur, Noma, and her loquacious girlfriends Nox, Danny, and Amira. Each of the women has her own unique approach to love, sex, and surviving in the city.

Although the series was designed to be entertaining, it also propagates serious messages about responsible lifestyles among young South Africans. Episodes look at a range of issues, including specifically behaviours that put women at risk of HIV and tuberculosis (TB) infection, while exploring a range of other issues women deal with in their everyday lives, such as masturbation, single parenthood, infidelity, self-confidence, casual sex, the relationship between alcohol and sex, being single, and living with HIV and TB.

The choice of thirty-something female characters was deliberate, as South African women aged 25 to 34 are most at risk of contracting HIV. But they were not the only target audience; it was hoped that men would also be drawn in by the series’ saucy nature, and in the process learn more responsible behaviours.

In conducting research for the show, instead of focus groups producers held pamper parties and brought together groups of women for manicures and pedicures. Then they brought in groups of men for massages. Through this approach organisers say they were able to create an intimate space for people to tell their stories. These formed the basis of the production team's storymaking.

According to the producers, 4Play is "a completely new approach. It deals with and celebrates women's sexuality. It is sassy, sexy, glossy and funny."

Click here for more information on the 4Play: Sex Tips for Girls website.

Development Issues

HIV/AIDS and TB

Key Points

4Play received seven nominations for the 2011 South African Film and Television Awards (SAFTAs) including Best TV Drama; Best Actress in a TV Drama; Best Ensemble in a TV Drama; Best Director in a TV Drama; Best Editor in a TV Drama; Best Art/Production in a TV Drama; and Best Cinematographer in a TV Drama. The series received 3 awards at the SAFTA’s, including Best Director in a TV Drama; Best Editor in a TV Drama; Best Art/Production in a TV Drama.

Partners

Curious Pictures, Johns Hopkins Health and Education in South Africa (JHHESA) and eTV. Funded by United States Agency for International Develpoment (USAID) and the US President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR).

Sources

JHHESA website, Media Update website and 4Play: Sex Tips for Girls website on March 3, 2011.