The volunteer group of health in RW 4 Kadipaten Subdistrict, Kraton District, organized a toddler nutrition kitchen official launching on Thursday (12/11). The Deputy Mayor of Yogyakarta, drg. Poerwati Soetji Rahajoe, Sp. BM was one of the parties who launched the toddler nutrition kitchen. Besides, there were the Head of the Kraton Sub-District, the Head of the Kraton Health Center, the Head of the Kadipaten Village and his staff, and the 3rd-period UGM SCS-CEL students Unit YO288 as the initiator of this activity attended this event.
This activity’s official launching of the toddler nutrition kitchen was perceived as an effort to prevent Stunting and maintain the growth of toddlers, especially in RW 4, Kadipaten Kelurahan. This program gives insight into cooperation and sharing with those in need with the jargon “Ngluwihi Mbagehi”.
Drg. Poerwati Soetji Rahajoe, Sp.BM also appreciated the effort to create a nutrition kitchen. She and other executives also hoped that this program would be sustainable for the long term so that students can assist the running program of nutrition kitchen until the Community Service Program ends.
“So those people who are included as the members of Healthy Volunteers can maintain their roles and functions optimally so that all toddlers in RW 4 of Kadipaten Village can undergo a well-growth,” said Soetji Rahajoe.
According to Soetji, these toddlers are considered vulnerable groups because, eventually, they cannot meet their needs independently. The under-five children’s quality of life quality is closely associated with their family’s ability to buy good quality ingredients.
In the middle of this pandemic, there has been a decay in people’s quality of life. One of which is economic growth, which has experienced a significant decline, is one of the causes and has implications for the decline in under-five nutrition. If we do not prevent this, it may lead to a Stunting possibility.
“Stunting is a condition of failure of growth to children due to prolonged malnutrition, particularly in the first 1,000 days of life. Ministry of Health data for 2018 reveals 20 percent of children in the province of Yogyakarta Special Region suffer from Stunting. This failure can lead children to the interferences of brain growth. This condition is crucial because it can affect the children’s ability and achievement, hinder productivity and creativity that determine the child’s future,” she explained.
From this condition, RW 4 Posyandu cadres cooperated with PKK mothers to create Healthy Volunteers. Each volunteer was responsible for eight toddlers from birth to 60 months of age. They were required to observe toddlers’ development by recording body weight, height, head circumference, and upper arm circumference once a month.
Next, the data that have been collected then given to the Kraton Health Center. Unfortunately, there is no guideline for the mechanism of giving education and evaluation to families on the inclinations of child growth.
Hence, five UGM SCS-CEL students, namely Alif Indiralarasati, Likuidita Yona, Gabriela Ivana, Brigitta Beata, and Bety Oktaviani, designed program brochures and conducted exclusive counseling with Healthy Volunteers. The counseling opportunity covered an evaluation process and education for families based on the KMS (Kartu Menuju Sehat), which belongs to each toddler and aligned to WHO standards as guidelines for children’s growth.
“The introduction of children’s personalities and family socio-economic abilities is very necessary to determine problems related to toddler nutrition. At the final session, toddlers then got a healthy lunch box as a recommendation from the health ministry regarding nutritional balance,” said Alif Indiralarasati.
Socialization of Elderly Welfare
Meanwhile, the UGM SCS-CEL Period 3 Unit YO-288 organized welfare socialization for the elderly in Taman Village, Patehan Village, on Wednesday (14/11). The socialization was located at SMP Negeri 16 Yogyakarta. There were also some attendants who joined in this event. They were the Chairperson of Kampung Taman, the Chairperson of the LPMK for the Patehan Village, the PKK Representative for the Taman Village, and the Youth Organization for the Patehan Village
UGM SCS-CEL students organized this activity to improve their skills and knowledge in mentoring the elderly, including vulnerable groups. Some roles involved in this event also carried out health protocol by providing a place for washing hands, wearing masks as a must, checking the temperature, setting the distance with two-way circulation space, and limiting the number of participants.
Astri Wulandari, S.Pd as an administrator of Fopperham NGO, an implementing agency for Yogyakarta Mayor Regulation Number 38 of 2019 concerning the Implementation of Elderly Welfare, also attended this event as a resource person. In that opportunity, she delivered a message entitled “Meeting is Life Meaningful”.
Throughout that event, people might see how important the social aspect is in the welfare of the elderly, especially during the Covid-19 pandemic. It is significantly important to optimize our concerns for the elderly while still implementing health protocols.
Nando and Gustav were two students of the UGM Faculty of Medicine who initiated this activity program. Both of them also introduced non-stop “30 seconds of clapping” as a simple physical activity done by the elderly.
Besides, both of them also delivered material about awareness of degenerative diseases, physical activity that is fitting for the elderly, sleep disorders (insomnia) in the elderly, and the elderly’s vulnerability to the Covid-19 pandemic.
“We try to make it interestingly and interactively by involving the participants, such as inviting them to sing the song” Lansia Sehat Bahagia by Dr. Proboseno, Sp.PD-KGER” added Nando.
Throughout this socialization, Nando hoped it could be possible to increase awareness of the importance of giving attention to the elderly. Greeting the Elderly Movement and Optimizing the Elderly Commission is one of the attempts to accomplish the welfare of the elderly while at the same time forming Yogyakarta City as a “Senior Friendly City”. In particular, they also hoped to motivate the younger generation to provide more support and attention to the elderly in Kampung Taman, Patehan.
Author: Agung Nugroho
Translator: Natasa A