The Communication Initiative
Development action with informed and engaged societies
The Communication Initiative

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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Kiss Malaria Goodbye

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Launched in 2011, Kiss Malaria Goodbye is an initiative implemented by Doctors Without Borders in South Africa that works to raise awareness, support, and funds for malaria treatment and eradication activities in Africa, particularly artemisinen-based combination therapy and malaria rapid diagnostic tests. The initiative uses new technologies such as SMS and online social networking platforms, and encourages people to record kisses as part of the message to “Kiss Malaria Goodbye.”

Communication Strategies

The Kiss Malaria Goodbye initiative encourages people to access the Kiss Malaria Goodbye campaign website to show their support for malaria prevention and eradication by recording a short video or uploading a photo of themselves literally "kissing malaria goodbye.” The kisses recordings are collected in the "wall of kisses." The website also encourages visitors to donate to the initiative either online or via SMS and become members of Doctors Without Borders. The site includes key information about malaria prevention in Africa, as well as a summary of Doctors Without Borders' work in Africa. The website includes links to both the Twitter and Facebook pages for the campaign.

Development Issues

Malaria, New technologies

Key Points

According to organisers, 91% of the nearly 800,000 annual malaria-related fatalities occur in Africa, with the majority being children under the age of five. Young children and pregnant women are most at risk of severe malaria, as are people living with HIV.

Doctors Without Borders is an international, independent, medical humanitarian organisation that delivers emergency aid to people affected by armed conflict, epidemics, healthcare exclusion and natural disasters. MSF combines the provision of emergency medical care with a commitment to speaking out about the suffering people endure and the obstacles encountered in providing assistance. MSF offers assistance to people based only on need and irrespective of race, religion, gender, or political affiliation.

Sources

Kiss Malaria Goodbye website on June 28, 2011.