BLM’s NEED FOR YDIC

Youth, especially young women, are vulnerable to sexual and reproductive health problems and they are particularly prone to the risk of unplanned pregnancies, STIs , HIV/AIDS and clandestine abortions. This is mainly due to unavailability of factual and adequate sexual and reproductive health information in the various places they meet such as schools and play grounds.

The HIV prevalence in young people aged 15-24 years is 15.3% while that of young men of the same age is at 7% and this calls for the urgent need to provide all the necessary information to reverse the trend in the years to come. In view of the aforementioned, BLM and its development partners, (DFID and Norway/SIDA) saw the need for the establishment of YDICs that would attract young people to access accurate information on HIV/AIDS, STIs, and Sexual Reproductive Health which would promote and enhance behaviour change.

ESTABLISHMENT OF YDICs
The first YDIC was opened on 1st February 2003 next to Ntcheu BLM Clinic. To date BLM has established five (5) YDIC at Lunzu, Midima, Ntcheu, Area 24 in Lilongwe and Karonga. Youth Drop-in Centres have been one of the best strategies currently adopted and being implemented by BLM’s Young People Sexual and Reproductive Health Project in ensuring that Young People are provided with the necessary Sexual and Reproductive Health information and services from well-trained service providers as well as their trained peers.

YOUTH ACTIVITIES AT THE YDICs
Young people have been able to pass their idle hours after school at YDICs by participating in Indoor games such as bawo, monopoly,  playing cards, and Snakes and ladders. The youth also play outdoors games such as football, netball, volleyball and basketball. Young people have also been accessing information and services regarding their Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights. This has been achieved through one on one counselling sessions by Service providers and trained peers. IEC materials and informative videos on Sexual and Reproductive Health are also available to the youth.
The youth have access to free treatment for STIs and other Sexual and Reproductive Health problems. For most young people, the cost of transportation and consultation fees is an important access barrier. As such all sexually active youth who patronize the Drop-in centres access all SRH services free of charge after undergoing counselling.

THE ROLE OF TRAINED PEERS AT YDICs
For some years Banja La Mtsogolo (BLM) has worked, through a network of youth community based distribution agents (YCBDAs), to improve young people’s access to sexual and reproductive health (SRH) information, contraception and condoms. YCBDAs who mostly comprise of out-of-school youth, are trained by BLM to provide young people with SRH information, and to refer them for clinical care or advice if necessary. The YCBDA’s provide an outreach service to youth in the remote areas of the country and who are also far from health facilities. These YCBDAs are also available at the YDICs for the sake of young people who may not be comfortable to confide their sexual concerns to older service providers. Once the youth are counseled by the YCBDAs they are encouraged to meet BLM service providers for a youth-friendly service.

WHERE TO FROM HERE
Globally over half of the world’s population is under the age of 25 years, nearly all (80%) living in developing countries. Nationally, the youth comprise 60% of the Malawi population. The need for this significant proportion of the population to access sexual and reproductive health information, education and services is critical especially in the wake of the HIV/AIDS epidemic. The right of young people to access information that will enable them to have safe and responsible sexual relationships should be respected and advanced.

BLM thus intends to open more Youth Drop-in Centres to cater for the information demand from the youth where their sexuality is concerned. BLM will also tirelessly work with different stakeholders and the community to create and sustain an enabling environment for all young people to adopt healthy behaviours through accurate information.

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