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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Mobile HIV/AIDS Health Clinic for Africa

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This awards programme, announced in May, 2002 by Architecture for Humanity, invited applicants to develop designs for a fully equipped, mobile medical unit and HIV/AIDS treatment centre specifically for use by medical professionals in Africa. In addition to testing, prevention, and treatment, this easily transportable unit will disseminate information regarding the virus and provide basic healthcare services.
Communication Strategies

More than 522 teams representing 50 nations participated in the contest. Three designs were chosen by an international jury of architects and medical professionals, which convened in November, 2002 to judge the entries. Finalists were announced on World AIDS day (December 1, 2002). In addition, a Founders award was selected alongside eight notable entries. An exhibition of the winning entries and selected designs opened on December 6, 2002 in New York City, and will be displayed until January 31, 2003. Over 125 schemes from 25 countries will be on display. With the support of Virgin Atlantic and Duggal Visual Solutions, this exhibit will travel in 2003 within the United States and internationally. Money raised from the $35 submission fee (waived for entries from developing countries), donations, and additional fundraising activities will be used to build one or more prototypes of the winning concepts.

Development Issues

HIV/AIDS, Health.

Key Points

According to Architecture for Humanity, in the past 20 years 65 million people have been infected worldwide with HIV; 25 million have died so far. The disease continues to spread. In Sub-Saharan Africa, approximately 6,000 people die of AIDS every day and an additional 14,000 are infected with HIV. It is estimated that three-quarters of the world's AIDS population lives in Sub-Saharan Africa; most have no access to lifesaving drugs, testing facilities, or even basic preventative care. One of the major factors inhibiting medical professionals in Africa from treating this disease is the inability to access vast areas of the continent with adequately equipped facilities.

Founded in 1999 by designer Cameron Sinclair, Architecture for Humanity is a volunteer non-profit organisation set up to promote architectural and design solutions to global, social, and humanitarian crises like this one. In 1999 it launched an international competition to design five-year transitional housing for Kosovo's returning refugees. Selected entries were exhibited in four countries, the publicity from which helped raise more than US$80,000 (donated to War Child). Prototypes of two winning entries have been built; two more are being developed.

Once developed, it is hoped that refined versions of the cost-effective and mobile design for HIV/AIDS clinics can be built for Africa and, eventually, replicated in other regions around the world.

Partners

Members of the design community; world leaders and ambassadors; 100 medical professionals working in seven African countries; HIV/AIDS researchers; and relief and global health activists.

Sources

Letters sent from Architecture for Humanity to The Communication Initiative on July 13, November 28, and December 3, 2002; Architecture for Humanity website.