Who are we
This SurfAid project contributes to SurfAid’s overarching 6-year project called NusaTani (meaning ‘Farming Islands’ in Bahasa Indonesia) in
Sumba, working to tackle poverty, stunting and malnutrition at a household
level through nutrition-sensitive agriculture. Furthermore, it contributes to a
new 3 year program in Rote island, with a focus on stunting and malnutrition at
a household level through support for the first 1000 days in the life of a
child.
Website: https://surfaid.org/team
Issue: Health
Project Background
Sumba and Rote Island are in remote areas of Indonesia where
government services are limited, health statistics are low, and poverty rates
high. Here 1 in 3 children is stunted (in some parts of Rote, as many as 1 in 2
children).
Stunting is often a result of limited access to food supply,
poor health, hygiene and/or feeding practices, and/or poverty. Stunting has
huge costs for the child and for the economy, as it affects children’s immune
systems and brain development well into their adult life.
SurfAid believes that no matter where you live, you have a
right to access quality basic health services. We know that Mother and Child
Health is improved when the basic health structures such community health post (Posyandu)as
are in place and the staff and community health volunteers (kader)are
well-trained, adequately equipped, able and motivated to deliver health
services.
The Posyandu provide invaluable monthly health services
relating to children under five, their parents and pregnant women. The posyandu
is run by kader and village midwives. These kader are the frontline in tackling
mother and child health issues. Unfortunately they often lack adequate
training, support or even basic equipment to fulfill their important role.
Project Objectives
·
Training and coaching on mother and child health
issues for kader, village midwives, parents and caregivers
·
Trainers and coaches
·
Materials, venue, transport
·
Basic equipment, like weighing scales
·
Cooking classes
·
Trainers and coaches
·
Local ingredients
·
Local recipe book
·
Two creative educational videos, creative
materials, brochures and games for training sessions
·
Designing, printing and distribution of creative
materials/brochures/posters
·
Producing, script writing, renting cameras and
other equipment for the videos
·
Renting generators for showing the movies
Partners & Community Involvement
SurfAid’s approach includes a focus on securing ongoing
village and/or government funding and support. When communities and local
governments provide funding or support for activities, it increases their local
ownership, which in turn increases security and maintenance of the equipment
and crops, decreasing risk of damage or neglect, and increases sustainability.
The government has been highly enthusiastic and involved in SurfAid’s programs
to date. This is a strong positive indictment of SurfAid’s value, results and
relevance, and bodes well for its program sustainability.