YDIC are places that are properly structured where the youth are provided with:
the right information and services on Reproductive Heath from well trained service providers and peer educators
Recreational activities (games) like Monopoly, Playing Cards, snakes and ladders, football, netball and basketball
Counselling services
BLM has 5 YDIC established strategically around the country ie Lunzu, Midima, Ntcheu, Area 24, and Karonga YDIC.
Youth friendly services
BLM has pioneered Youth-Centred Sexual Reproductive Health and HIV and AIDS programming in Malawi.
BLM provides youth friendly services (YFS) throughout its clinic network, training government and other health service providers in YFS.
The youth have access to free treatment for STIs and other Sexual and Reproductive Health problems in all BLM centres under the Subsidised Treatment Fund.
Training Youth Community-Based Distribution Agents (YCBDAs)
BLM works youth community based distribution agents (YCBDAs) to improve young people’s access to sexual and reproductive health (SRH) information, contraception and condoms.
YCBDAs comprise of out-of-school youth, that 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.
These YCBDAs are also available at the YDICs for the sake of young people who may not be comfortable to confide their sexual and RH issues 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.
Improved Sexual and Reproduction Health of Young people, especially Girls
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. HIV prevalence in young women 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.
BLM has greatly impacted the SRH of young people through increasing access to accurate information on HIV and AIDS, Sexually Transmitted Infections, and SRH services. This has helped promote and enhance behaviour change among the youth.
Sensitization campaigns that target the youth as well as parents, traditional healers and counsellors, politicians, traditional leaders and other gatekeepers have been used as a forum for advancing good youth SRH in their communities.
The Education Sector Support Programme (ESSP)
This has ensured that most pupils are equipped with the knowledge and life skills. The girl-child who has been vulnerable and at risk of contracting STIs as well as HIV/AIDS from either peers or sexually abusive teachers has been provided with SRH information through this programme.
