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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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Modhumita (Sweet Friend)

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Social Marketing Company (SMC) has partnered with Family Health International (FHI) since December 2005 to implement its AIDS prevention programme, Modhumita. The goal is to support an effective HIV prevention strategy in Bangladesh through improved prevention, care, and treatment services for most-at-risk populations (MARPs) and to strengthen government leadership, multi-level coordination, and use of data for decision-making, knowledge, and advocacy to support HIV prevention efforts and effective programming for MARPs. HIV programming is being integrated with other programmes (tuberculosis (TB), family planning, reproductive health, and primary healthcare information and services), and Modhumita is working to build a supportive environment by including efforts to reduce violence, stigma, and discrimination associated with HIV and membership in a MARP group.
Communication Strategies

Under the Modhumita programme, 10 SMC Centres have been operating in 10 separate strategic locations of the country, offering services including sexually transmitted infection (STI) services, voluntary counselling and testing (VCT), group awareness-building on HIV/AIDS and STI, awareness of correct use of condoms, condom and lubricant distribution, awareness-building on TB, and referrals to the Government of Bangladesh (GOB) and non-governmental organisation (NGO) facilities for sputum tests, etc. Specifically, key activities include the following:

  • Providing HIV communication and health service delivery for MARP, including VCT and STI diagnosis and treatment;
  • Supporting HIV-related prevention, care, and treatment programmes for injecting drug users;
  • Supporting people living with HIV with care and support services, including referrals for antiretroviral treatment;
  • Improving HIV commodity distribution through health centres;
  • Promoting HIV prevention messages through faith-based programmes;
  • Enhancing the capacity of NGOs/faith-based organisations (FGOs)/the private sector to design and implement HIV prevention and care programmes;
  • Supporting the national response in addressing TB and HIV coinfection;
  • Implementing advocacy activities to reduce stigma and discrimination; and
  • Identifying needed policy changes to strengthen HIV prevention programmes.
Development Issues

HIV/AIDS, Health.

Key Points

During the period of October-December 2009, 10 SMC Centres had the following programme achievements:

  • 32,377 clients were contacted for STI and VCT services (awareness creation).
  • 1,937 clients received STI services.
  • 737 clients received VCT services.
  • 1,855 students were oriented on HIV/AIDS.
  • 2,353 youth were oriented on HIV/AIDS.
  • 4,251 demonstrations on correct use of condoms were held.
Partners

Social Marketing Company (SMC) and Bangladesh Center for Communication Programs (BCCP), with funding from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).

Sources

SMC website, Center for Health Market Innovations website, and FHI website - all accessed on January 4 2011.

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