Training to Adolescents in Matagalpa
Approached adolescents in Schools
Distribution of vouchers in Rivas
Distribution of vouchers in Acahualinca, Poor neighborhood of the Capital
First Festival of Peer Educators in Matagalpa
Approached adolescents in Schools
Educators of Peer in Planning of Activities Educator of Peer Planning Activities
Distributing vouchers in San Jorge, Rivas
Training to Personal of Health Team of Field, Study has more than enough Behaviors, Aptitudes and you Practice of those and the Adolescents.

ICAS has implemented an adolescent program in the municipalities of Managua, Rivas, Chinandega, León and Matagalpa since 2000. The program is directed towards adolescents aged 12 to 19 years who have little or no schooling, and who live in neighborhoods of low socio-economic levels.

The program gives adolescents access to sexual and reproductive health service providers. At the same time, the technical and human qualities of the provider services are improved through professional training. Specifically, the program increases adolescents’ access to contraceptives and treatment for sexually transmitted infections (STIs), and provides information and education in sexual and reproductive health. All services are carried out within the context of adolescents’ sexual and reproductive rights and with the objective of reducing the rate of unwanted pregnancies and improving the lives of the most vulnerable adolescents.

ICAS makes use of two methodologies of proven effectiveness:

1. Competitive voucher schemes: Vouchers are distributed at sites where adolescents congregate (neighborhoods, sports fields, parks, markets, youth clubs, schools, etc.) by promoters trained by the program or by a network of more than 15 organizations working with adolescents. The voucher gives the adolescent the right to one primary consultation and an additional follow-up consultation at any one of more than 20 clinics contracted and trained by the program. At each clinic visit the adolescent receives educational materials, condoms, counseling and, if needed, a pregnancy test, prenatal care, STI treatment and contraceptives. These services are provided free-of-charge by the program. Vouchers are valid for a period of 3 to 4 months.

2. Peer education (implemented by the program since 2004): Adolescents from the most vulnerable neighborhoods are trained to educate their peers. In particular, they provide information about rights and the management of sexual and reproductive health. This methodology has proven to be an effective strategy in reaching adolescents, as this group often feels most comfortable receiving information from peers of similar age and social standing. Subsequently, this strategy facilitates communication, understanding and the practice of healthy behaviors.

This program, despite being shown to be successful in reaching the most vulnerable adolescents, depends almost entirely on donor funding.

Graphic of how the competitive voucher scheme for adolescents functions

The program has been financed by the Dutch and English Government, as well as by US-AID through the NGO network NicaSalud.

ICAS is currently developing the second phase of a program for the prevention of STIs and HIV/AIDS in adolescents aged 15 to19 years which will be implemented in 11 municipalities of Matagalpa; located in northern Nicaragua (the first phase of which has been completed). These activities will be part of the FAMISALUD project financed by USAID through the NICASALUD network. The program promotes lower risk sexual behavior by training 100 counselor/teachers in the “Skills for Life” methodology. The project’s aim is to reduce the incidence of STIs and HIV/AIDS in adolescents, and to improve the social environment of the participating youth.

As part of this work, ICAS, through its program of Sexual and Reproductive Health, developed a study on STIs/HIV/AIDS knowledge in secondary and night school teachers. The study was conducted in 40 school centers in 7 municipalities of Matagalpa, one municipality of the Autonomous Region of the Southern Atlantic (RAAS) and one municipality of the Autonomous Region of the Northern Atlantic (RAAN).