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The joyful laughter of toddlers echoed at the hall of Posyandu Dalesa in Pandu Sanjaya Village, located in the Pangkalan Lada Sub-district of West Kotawaringin Regency (Kobar), Central Kalimantan. The children are captivated by talking puppets that bring colorful fairy tales to life. This activity serves not only as entertainment but also as a part of Astra Agro’s broader initiative to enhance the role of Posyandu in combating stunting and supporting children’s development.
Febriansyah, Community Development Officer at Astra Agro, Central Kalimantan, expressed his deep concern about this issue. He stated, “Stunting is not just a problem of malnutrition; it also impacts children’s cognitive and motor development. This is a challenge we must tackle together, as the future of our nation—the Golden Generation of 2045—starts here.”
At Posyandu Dalesa, Astra Agro is committed not only to providing supplementary feeding to enhance children’s nutrition but also to addressing an often-overlooked aspect: sensory and motor stimulation. According to Febriansyah, Posyandu, traditionally known as a place for health check-ups, must take a more active role in facilitating children’s growth and development by focusing on stimuli that enhance children’s ability to interact with their surroundings.
To support this initiative, Astra Agro collaborated with its subsidiaries, PT Gunung Sejahtera Ibu Pertiwi and PT Agro Menara Rachmat (PT GSIP-AMR), to organize a toddler class aimed at providing early stimulation for children. The goal is clear: to foster a healthy and intelligent generation.
During the class, two women from Sayang Anak Kobar Kampung Dongeng Community, Asmi and Titi, captured everyone’s attention. They brought colorful puppets to introduce the children to various types of animals. The stories they shared were not only heartwarming but also encouraged active interaction from the children, stimulating their cognitive and motor skills.
“The most important aspect of this activity is fun brain stimulation. We want mothers and posyandu cadres to learn how to engage children through play, which can help accelerate their development,” Asmi said, smiling at the joy on the children’s faces.
Asmi also emphasized that while proper nutrition is important, children’s growth and development are influenced by more than just their diet. Issues such as speech delays and difficulties focusing are increasingly common among today’s children. Therefore, providing appropriate stimulation is essential to help them reach their full potential.
‘Proper stimulation can train children’s brain functions to be more responsive to the environment. Through sensory and motor training, we can also detect early if there is a disturbance in their growth and development,’ explains Asmi.
This program is not Astra Agro’s first initiative to support children’s health. Since 2022, the company, which is involved in the palm oil industry, has strengthened its commitment to sustainability through its Sustainability Aspirations. This initiative focuses not only on environmental protection but also on making a meaningful contribution to creating a better future for the next generation.
By collaborating with Posyandu, Astra Agro aims to expand this program to more villages and Posyandu locations in Central Kalimantan. The goal is for this movement to spread throughout Indonesia, helping to reduce stunting rates and nurturing a generation that is healthy, intelligent, and prepared to tackle future challenges.
“This is an investment in our future,” said Febriansyah with an optimistic note. Although it’s a small step at Posyandu Dalesa, its impact can resonate widely, laying the groundwork for a Golden Indonesia by 2045.
Source: iNews Kobar
