Summits - SBCC and C4D
Gathering in person to advance informed and engaged societies
Summits - SBCC and C4D
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.
 
Co-founder Victoria Martin is pleased to see this work continue under Wits' leadership. Victoria knows that co-founder Warren Feek (1953–2024) would have felt deep pride in The CI Global's Africa-led direction.
 
We honour the team and partners who sustained The CI for decades. Meanwhile, La Iniciativa de Comunicación (CILA) continues independently at cila.comminitcila.com and is linked with The CI Global site.
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A cluster-randomized evaluation of a responsive stimulation and feeding intervention in Bangladesh

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Aboud, F. E. and S. Akhter (2011). "A cluster-randomized evaluation of a responsive stimulation and feeding intervention in Bangladesh." Pediatrics 127(5): e1191-e1197.

OBJECTIVES: The goal of this study was to determine if a responsive stimulation and feeding intervention improved developmental and nutritional outcomes compared with a regular information-based parenting program. The hypothesis was that mothers in the intervention would exhibit better parenting skills and children would exhibit better developmental and nutritional outcomes than controls.

METHODS: A cluster-randomized field trial was conducted with 302 children aged 8 to 20 months and their mothers in rural Bangladesh who were randomly assigned according to village to 1 of 3 groups. The control mothers received 12 informational sessions on health and nutrition. The intervention groups received an additional 6 sessions delivered by peer educators who included modeling and coached practice in self-feeding and verbal responsiveness with the child during play. A second intervention group received, along with the sessions, 6 months of a food powder fortified with minerals and vitamins. Developmental outcomes included the Home Observation for Measurement of the Environment (HOME) Inventory, mother-child responsive talk, and language development. Nutritional outcomes included weight, height, self-feeding, and mouthfuls eaten. We used analysis of covariance to compare the 3 groups at the posttest and at follow-up, covarying the pretest levels and confounders.

RESULTS: At follow-up, responsive stimulation-feeding groups had better HOME inventory scores, responsive talking, language, mouthfuls eaten, and hand-washing. Micronutrient fortification resulted in more weight gain.

CONCLUSIONS: A brief behavior-change program that focused on modeling and practice in stimulation and feeding was found to benefit children's nutrition and language development. Micronutrients benefited children's weight but not length. Copyright © 2011 by the American Academy of Pediatrics.