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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.
 
Co-founder Victoria Martin is pleased to see this work continue under Wits' leadership. Victoria knows that co-founder Warren Feek (1953–2024) would have felt deep pride in The CI Global's Africa-led direction.
 
We honour the team and partners who sustained The CI for decades. Meanwhile, La Iniciativa de Comunicación (CILA) continues independently at cila.comminitcila.com and is linked with The CI Global site.
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Move for Health Minister's Walk - Bhutan

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As part of the UNICEF-sponsored Move for Health project, Bhutan's Minister of Health and Education walked over 500 kilometers in a 16-day period in October, 2002 to draw attention to the importance of health and to raise money for Bhutan's Health Trust Fund. In addition to promoting healthy living through exercise, the walk was intended to be a tribute to Bhutan's health workers, who walk daily to remote, hard-to-reach areas to deliver immunisation and other health services across the country. The ultimate aim of the project was to create a trust fund of $25 million to provide free immunisation, essential drugs, and primary health care.
Communication Strategies
The Minister and his team, carrying their own provisions in backpacks, stopped in different districts across the country to remind villagers of the importance of health. They emphasised the importance of utilising health services and healthy living, talking to citizens about the importance of physical activity, sanitation, nutrition, and breast-feeding. Many districts contributed their own resources to support the Trust Fund. In some parts of the journey, students, local officials, and villagers walked with the Minister and his team to show their support.

Individuals, organisations, and nations were invited to follow the progress of the walk, and to provide sponsorship, via the Move for Health Bhutan site. Sponsorship was sought on an hourly or daily basis; each dollar or rupee raised was matched by the government of Bhutan.
Development Issues
Health, Immunisation & Vaccines, Nutrition, Children.
Key Points
The Health Trust Fund was set up to ensure the sustainability of immunisation and primary health care services for Bhutan. According to Fund organisers, investments in the social sector have brought about dramatic declines in infant mortality, under-five mortality, and maternal mortality rates. Universal childhood immunisation has been achieved and maintained since 1990. Bhutan's essential drugs programme has flourished, and leprosy, previously a major public health problem, has been eliminated. The last case of polio reported in the country was in 1986.
Partners

UNICEF, the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunization (GAVI), and the government of Bhutan. The American Himalyan Foundation publicised the walk on its website.

Sources

Press release dated October 10, 2002 posted on the UNICEF site and Move For Health site.