Children
Child rights action with informed and engaged societies
Children

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 13 years ago
Last updated 3 years ago
Read so far

Daily use of Sprinkles micronutrient powder for 2 months reduces anemia among children 6 to 36 months of age in the Kyrgyz Republic: A cluster-randomized trial

0 comments

Lundeen, E., T. Schueth, et al. (2010). "Daily use of Sprinkles micronutrient powder for 2 months reduces anemia among children 6 to 36 months of age in the Kyrgyz Republic: A cluster-randomized trial." Food and Nutrition Bulletin 31(3): 446-460.

Background: Iron-deficiency anemia is widespread among young children in the Kyrgyz Republic, and there is an urgent need to identify an effective intervention to address this significant public health problem.

Objective: To test the effectiveness of a 2-month intervention with daily home fortification of complementary food using micronutrientpowder (Sprinkles) in reducing anemia among children 6 to 36 months of age in the Kyrgyz Republic.

Methods: In this cluster-randomized, communitybased effectiveness trial conducted in three regions of the Kyrgyz Republic, 24 clusters of children aged 6 to 36 months were randomly assigned to two groups. The intervention group (12 clusters, n = 1, 103) received 60 sachets of micronutrient powder (12.5 mg elemental iron), which were taken as one sachet daily for 2 months. The control group (12 clusters, n = 1, 090) did not receive micronutrient powder until after the study period. Blood hemoglobin concentration was assessed at the start and end of the intervention.

Results: From baseline to follow-up, the mean hemoglobin concentration in the intervention group increased by 7 g/L, whereas it decreased by 2 g/L in the control group (p < .001). The prevalence of anemia (hemoglobin < 110 g/L) in the intervention group decreased from 72% at baseline to 52% at follow-up, whereas it increased from 72% to 75% in the control group (p < .001). Compliance with the intervention was high, with children consuming on average 45 of the 60 sachets given.

Conclusion: A course of 60 Sprinkles micronutrient powder sachets taken daily for 2 months is effective in improving hemoglobin levels and reducing the prevalence of anemia among young children in the Kyrgyz Republic.