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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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Starting maternity care programmes in developing countries to reduce maternal mortality

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Kivast, B. E. and M. A. Koblinsky (1995). "Starting maternity care programmes in developing countries to reduce maternal mortality." Contemporary Reviews in Obstetrics and Gynaecology 7(4): 220-225.

Objective: This paper provides a descriptive summary of the MotherCare project experience in collaboration with the Ministries of Health and non-governmental organizations in Bolivia, Guatemala, Indonesia and Nigeria. In accordance with the global safe motherhood initiative, MotherCare's purpose is to improve pregnancy outcomes for women as well as newborns in diverse settings from a resource-poor to a resource-rich environment with concomitant reductions in maternal and perinatal mortality.

Methods: The three major intervention strategies are affecting behaviours, improving services and policy reform. Quantitative and qualitative research prior to start-up directs the relative emphasis of each intervention depending on the strength and limitations of access of care. During 1989-93, training efforts were directed at traditional birth attendants (TEA), midwives and physicians, information, education and communication strategies were developed and, in Indonesia, the referral chain was strengthened with radio communication and ambulance services.

Results: A decrease in perinatal mortality either at community or hospital level was achieved in most projects. However, the implementation period was too short to achieve a significant reduction in maternal mortality. Improvements in labour and delivery management at the hospital level in Nigeria showed a reduction in maternal morbidity. While recognition of complications by women and TEA improved after training information, education and communication campaigns, this was not necessarily followed by an increase in compliance with referral and hospital admission. It is clear that in societies with strong preference for home delivery, the willingness to break with deeply valued cultural and traditional norms in the event of obstetrical complications, will require long-term strategies and solutions which harmonize the traditional and biomedical approach to maternity care.