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

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HIV/AIDS in Curriculum - Zimbabwe

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HIV/AIDS was integrated into the school curriculum for children in public schools. Children now begin learning about HIV/AIDS as early as Grade 5 (about 10 years old). The objective of this communication and education program is to increase awareness of the disease and to educate the children continually throughout their education to instill the knowledge to make decisions regarding their livelihood later in life.
Communication Strategies

Children are introduced to the concept of HIV/AIDS in Grade 5, and as the years progress, the information that they are taught becomes more specific. The program teaches responsibility, character and life skills necessary for adulthood without HIV/AIDS. Positive role models are used, including church groups where youth can gather together and talk about HIV/AIDS. The positive role models are called ‘influencers', and are used to spread information to their peers.
Development Issues

HIV/AIDS, Child Health and education
Key Points

In an area of the world where up to 20% of the adults are infected with HIV, it is seen as a very important issue to communicate with children and youth in schools about the nature and risks of HIV/AIDS - an issue about which their parents are not well informed. The realities of AIDS are being faced by working with the next generation to protect themselves.
Partners



UNICEF, Church Groups, other non-governmental organizations

Sources

Reuters Documentary for 1997 World AIDS Day