Although youth constitute a significant proportion of the population, they lack basic opportunities that would enable them develop to their full potential. Youth are faced by   poverty , unemployment, HIV and AIDS , Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRH&R) challenges. SDI  approaches to youth development include; a) Supporting entreprenuership and business development; b) Ehnacing Youth Participation; c) Improving employability of youth (Internship &coaching); d) Awaressnes on HIV Prevention and SRH&R and d) Education Support (scholarships &library services). SDI has implemented a number of interventions targeting youth as outlined below;
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Youth Economic and Social Action (YESA) : The goal of the project was to increase the socio-economic status of marginalized youth in Chikhwawa District.  The interventions for the project included ;  a)Youth Village Savings & Loan Associations;  b)Youth Entrepreneurship & Business Training and Development; c) Advocacy and d) Short term disaster relief and long term resilience building to households affected by floods and dought. The project contributed to the increase in income for the youth from an average monthly income of   MK7, 000.00 ($10) in the year 2015 to average monthly income of MK13, 000.00 ($18) as of December, 2017.  The group savings amongst youth increased from zero in 2015 to an accumulative total of MK28, 128,817 as of December, 2017.  The project increased capacity of the marginalized youth to understand and claim their social and economic rights. A total of 102 youth reported to have claimed their rights and marginalized youth accessed socio-economic services (access to employment opportunities, disaster support services and HIV/AIDS services).  The project also facilitated disaster risk reduction interventions such as tree planting, encouraging natural regeneration and soil and water conservation. Over 2000 households affected by floods ( year 2015) and hunger  (year2016) received food and non-food relief items.  Households along Lengwe national park were also engaged in forest based enterprise such as beekeeping and handicrafts through collective marketing.
Youth Entreprenuership Enhancement Programme (YEEP) - The programme was aimed at creating jobs for youth through solar entreprenuership and mobile money technology. Over 60 youth were trained in solar installation and businessess. The project also engaged 50 youth in mobile money entreprenurship as agents for TNM and Airtel Mobile Companies.
Youth Resource Centre : At its Chririmba Offices in Blantyre, SDI provides free library,computer, internet and open park/space for students to study and get information. The resource centre is also open to out of school youth. At the centre SDI  displays of vacancies and provides career talks  to youth inorder to improve their employment opportunituties and entreprenuership skills.