Meeting the essential nourishment for the first 1,000 days of a child is very important for the child’s mental, intellectual, and physical growth. Not long ago, the government has initiated a national movement to improve child’s nutrients as an effort to resolve malnutrition problem among children. Currently, awareness among people of the importance of nutrients is very low.
“The First 1,000 Days movement cannot be only generated by the government, all members of society need to be involved, too,” said Kadek Dewi Cahyani, Nursing student of Faculty of Medicine of UGM on Monday (6/6).
Along with her fellow students, Vania Elysia Septiani (Nursing), Lucia Kusuma Ningrum (Nutrient science), Ni Made Dian Anderiani (Chemistry) and Dimas Agung Pradipta (Chemistry), they came up with an innovative idea to socialise the First 1,000 Days movement.
“We made the innovation to turn into the First 1,000 Days information into a calendar as this is easier to understand, brief, and succinct,” she said.
Smart Baby Calendar (KAPAS) First 1,000 Days contains general info, breastfeeding tip as well as info on nutrient requirement from pregnancy to baby’s second year of age, or 270 days into pregnancy and baby’s 730 first days.
The students further socialised the info to the residents of Hargotirto village in Kulon Progo regency through three stages. First, they identified problems with volunteers. Second, they gave child nursing training to volunteers and pregnant mothers. This was presented by Nursing lecturer, Anik Rustianingsih, S.Kep., Ns., M.Kep., Sp.Kep.An. Another lecturer in health nutrients, Aviria Ermamilia, S.Gz, M.Gizi, gave the training on nutrients whilst breastfeeding training was given by Association of Breastfeeding Mothers of Yogyakarta.
“Prior to the distribution of the calendar to people, we socialised it first how to use the calendar. They were enthusiastic in joining the programme,” Kadek added.
These students will develop the calendar further so that it will contain more information and more useful.
“We want to work with related parties, particularly the Health Agency, to provide more information on the calendar. We hope in the future the calendar becomes commercial so that it will benefit people more,” Lucia concluded.