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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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Nutrition and Health Behaviour Change Communication, along with Home Visits - 15.9 Percentage Point Reduction in Diarrhoea

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Strategy researched

Agriculture production activities integrated with nutrition and health behaviour change communication (BCC), along with home visits by either an older woman leader or health committee member

Impact achieved

The study found statistically significant (P < 0.05) impacts on diarrhoea (difference-in-difference (DID): -15.9 percentage points (pp); P = 0.00) among children aged 3-12.9 months and on anaemia (DID: -14.6 pp; P = 0.03) and mean hemoglobin (Hb) (DID: 0.74 grams per decilitre (g/dL); P = 0.03) among children aged 3-5.9 months in intervention communities compared with control villages. It also found marginally significant (P < 0.10) impacts on mean Hb (DID: 0.51 g/dL; P = 0.07) and wasting (DID: -8.8 pp; P = 0.08).

Country of study

Burkina Faso

Research methodology

Cluster RCT

Journal

Journal of Nutrition; 2015

Journal paper title and link

A 2-Year Integrated Agriculture and Nutrition and Health Behavior Change Communication Program Targeted to Women in Burkina Faso Reduces Anemia, Wasting, and Diarrhea in Children 3-12.9 Months of Age at Baseline: A Cluster-Randomized Controlled Trial

Excerpt from Abstract

"HKI [Helen Keller International]'s 2-y integrated HFP [homestead food production] +BCC program (HC group) significantly improved several child outcomes, including wasting (marginal), diarrhea, Hb, and anemia, especially among the youngest children. This is the first cluster-randomized controlled trial of an HFP program that documents statistically significant positive effects on these child nutrition outcomes."

Summary at this link