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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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Effectiveness of a nutrition program in reducing symptoms of respiratory morbidity in children: a randomized field trial

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Vitolo, M. R., G. A. Bortolini, et al. (2008). "Effectiveness of a nutrition program in reducing symptoms of respiratory morbidity in children: a randomized field trial." Prev Med 47(4): 384-388.

OBJECTIVES: To assess the effectiveness of home visits advising mothers about breast feeding and weaning in reducing symptoms of respiratory morbidity at the age of 12 months.

METHODS: A randomized field trial was conducted with mothers who gave birth within the public health system in the Brazilian city of Sao Leopoldo (2001/2002). The intervention group received dietary advice during the first year based on a Brazilian national health policy for primary care, which is based on WHO guidelines. Morbidity data was assessed in 397 children at 12 months.

RESULTS: A total of 23.3% of the children in the intervention group and 39.7% of the controls had one or more of the following symptoms during the month preceding assessment: cough, stuffy nose, runny nose, or breathlessness. The risk of respiratory morbidity symptoms was 41% lower for the intervention group (RR: 0.59; 95% CI: 0.43-0.81). The number of families needed to be visited to avoid one children presenting symptoms of respiratory morbidity (Number Needed to Treat) was 6.1. The intervention-group status was also associated with a longer duration of exclusive (RR:1.59; 95% CI: 1.21-2.07; p=0.001) and total breastfeeding (RR: 1.25; 95% CI:1.02-1.55; p=0.032) later introduction of solid foods (RR:1.11; 95% CI: 1.02-1.21; p=0.023), and a lower proportion of current medication use (RR:0.56; 95% CI:0.34-0.91;p=0.016).

CONCLUSION: A nutrition education program during the first year of life has a positive impact on reducing respiratory symptoms in infants.