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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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Effect of postnatal home visits on maternal/infant outcomes in Syria: a randomized controlled trial

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Bashour, H. N., M. H. Kharouf, et al. (2008) Effect of postnatal home visits on maternal/infant outcomes in Syria: a randomized controlled trial. Public health nursing (Boston, Mass.) 115-125 DOI: 10.1111/j.1525-1446.2008.00688.x

OBJECTIVE: Early postpartum home visiting is universal in many Western countries. Studies from developing countries on the effects of home visits are rare. In Syria, where the postpartum period is rather ignored, this study aimed to assess whether a community-based intervention of postnatal home visits has an effect on maternal postpartum morbidities; infant morbidity; uptake of postpartum care; use of contraceptive methods; and on selected neonatal health practices.

DESIGN: A randomized controlled trial was carried out in Damascus. Three groups of new mothers were randomly allocated to receive either 4 postnatal home visits (A), one visit (B), or no visit (C).

SAMPLE: A total of 876 women were allocated and followed up.

INTERVENTION: Registered midwives with special training made a one or a series of home visits providing information, educating, and supporting women.

RESULTS: A significantly higher proportion of mothers in Groups A and B reported exclusively breastfeeding their infants (28.5% and 30%, respectively) as compared with Group C (20%), who received no visits. There were no reported differences between groups in other outcomes.

CONCLUSIONS: While postpartum home visits significantly increased exclusive breastfeeding, other outcomes did not change. Further studies framed in a nonbiomedical context are needed. Other innovative approaches to improve postnatal care in Syria are needed.