Childhood stunting remains a serious concern in various regions, including the Sudimoro District, Pacitan Regency. In response, the UGM community service program (KKN-PPM) team of Karsa Saka initiated the Health Festival titled Gerakan Anti Stunting Pagerlor (GASPOL), designed as both an educational platform and a concrete effort to prevent stunting.
The festival was held at Selur Field, Pagerlor Village, on Sunday (Aug. 3). It aimed to provide a space for collaboration among academics, government, and the community to improve village health.
The GASPOL Festival featured a series of activities emphasizing the importance of child nutrition and parenting.
Programs included group exercise, a healthy walk, demonstrations on preparing complementary feeding (MPASI) and supplementary food (PMT), a talk show on stunting prevention, as well as a joint activity of eating eggs and drinking milk with 30 toddlers representing each hamlet.
Participants also benefited from free health check-ups, enjoyed school art performances, and had the chance to win door prizes, including a goat as the main prize.
“We deliberately designed the event to be interactive, to raise awareness that stunting prevention can be achieved through simple daily practices,” said Nia Rosmiati, one of the KKN-PPM students.
The success of the event was supported by various stakeholders, including PT PLN UP Pacitan, the village and sub-district governments, and the active participation of the local community. The KKN-PPM UGM team also collaborated with posyandu health cadres, members of the Family Welfare Movement (PKK), and the local youth organization Karang Taruna, who contributed from preparation to implementation.
Mothers of toddlers, for instance, joined the cooking demonstrations using local food ingredients such as tempeh, eggs, and fish. The spirit of mutual cooperation was key to fostering a strong sense of togetherness within the community.
During the talk show session, Dr. Yeni Puspitaningrum, from Sukorejo Community Health Center, highlighted the importance of utilizing accessible food sources to support children’s growth and development.
She reminded parents that children’s nutritional needs do not have to be met with expensive foods but can be fulfilled with affordable protein sources available locally, such as fish, eggs, milk, and chicken.
“Mothers, to meet your children’s nutritional needs, you do not need expensive ingredients like salmon or beef. We live close to the sea, so we can make use of local fish, along with other animal protein sources such as eggs, milk, and chicken,” she explained.
The GASPOL Festival received wide appreciation from the local government and sponsoring partners. Beyond raising community awareness on stunting prevention, the event also promoted the use of local food resources, which in turn has the potential to strengthen the village economy.
GASPOL exemplifies how the KKN-PPM UGM program can bring innovation while fostering community independence through educational and engaging activities. In this way, UGM students serve as catalysts for change, delivering direct impact for local communities.
Reporter: KKN-PPM Karsa Saka
Author: Triya Andriyani