The Importance Of Balanced Nutrition For Children With Special Needs In The MBG Program

JAKARTA - Dozens of children in elementary, junior high, and high school uniforms on Wednesday, October 1 morning ran over to the car reading thezi Fulfillment Service Unit (SPPG).

Today, the Ganda Saputra Mamun Foundation distributed 113 free nutritious food packages (MBG) to children with special needs who attended the Patriot Extraordinary School (SLB) in Indihiang Village, Tasikmalaya City, West Java. The Patriot Foundation oversees schools with special needs, from elementary to high school levels.

The students were guided by teachers to help the officers bring food turnover from the vehicle bearing the SPPG logo to their school classrooms. Arriving at the master's school, the food was collected on the table to be eaten together during eating hours.

Ahead of eating hours, a female teacher named Nita seemed to lead a student in a red and white uniform to a hand washing place. The teacher led the child who was touching to open the water tap and directed his tiny hands under the water tap and began washing his hands. After being clean, the tiny hand touched the tap and turned to cover the flow of water.

Some children are also guided towards the sink and can wash their own hands even though they sometimes laugh cheerfully when splashing water on their friends.

Guided by a teacher, they pray and after that they eat in an orderly manner. However, there are some children who continue to move actively and teachers continue to monitor and direct them to eat their food.

Meanwhile, Nita's teacher was seen continuing to accompany a very active elementary school student. The student's name is Raka (11). Raka, who has hyperactive autism, was eaten eating MBG dishes, which on that day consisted of white rice, chicken and tofu, carrots and broccoli capcay vegetables. The menu was also added to the marble fruit.

"It's good," said Raka when he finished his meal accompanied by Nita, his accompanying teacher.

Head of SLB Education Patriot Eulis Siti Hasanah said MBG really helps fulfill the nutrition of children with special needs. "Alhamdulillah, the presence of MBG really helps improve balanced nutrition. Children with special needs really need a balanced nutritional intake for their growth," said Eulis, who helped directly monitor the distribution of MBG in SLB Patriot.

According to him, MBG really helps reduce the burden on families because almost all children have special needs who go to school accompanied by their mothers. "Her mother didn't have time to cook at home because she accompanied her children to school. So it reduces the burden on the family," said Eulis.

Eulis said the children with special needs at the school consisted of 40 elementary school students, 28 junior high school students, and 45 high school students. They are children with special needs in the category of deaf, blind, blind, Grahita, tuna impor, autistic, and downsyndrome.

"Alhamdulillah, MBG at this school, which has been running since June (2025), is safe. The children are happy and enjoy food, they say it's delicious and the food is always running out," said Eulis.

The Patriot SLB which is under the auspices of the Patriot Education Foundation has been running schools for children with special needs since 30 years ago. Eulis said there were 14 educators and educators who taught children with special needs according to their competence

Children with special needs are special children. They are part of Indonesia's future. Their future is greatly determined by proper learning guidance and good nutritional intake.

Letter In Food Ompreng

A piece of paper was found by workers in a food turnover in the kitchen of MBG Ganda Saputra Makmun. The hand-written paper was obtained by the omnipreng washing worker after being used.

"There are a lot of them. Every day we collect papers that have handwriting from MBG beneficiaries. We call them love letters," said Irwan Komar (40), assistant to the field in the kitchen of MBG Ganda Saputra Makmun in Indihiang Village, Tasikmalaya.

While smiling, Irwan showed the papers. Req.men's + katsu. Lempleng fruit. The spirit of the Z.' gene remains written in yellow paper.

Another book torn paper reads: "My brother wants to reqwes spageti at SDN Indihiang". Another piece of paper reads, "This food is quite good from SDN 3 Parakan Nyasag. Manga fruit and milk are awaited"

There are other papers, which also read about requests for food, praise for taste, and or just writing down signs of love. We don't throw these love letters away. We collect them every day. We read and not all the requests we can ask for," said Irwan.

According to Irwan, several requests related to the menu can be met as long as they are in accordance with the standards set by the National Nutrition Agency in the MBG administration procedure. The task as a field assistant is to be a liaison between the school and the MBG kitchen. They form a WhatsApp group with teachers and school principals. "We convey this request through a love letter in a discussion in the WA group," explained Irwan.

The SPPG of the Saputra Mamun Double Foundation distributes 4,000 MBG packages every day at 32 points consisting of PAUD, Kindergarten, SD, SMP, SMA, SLB, and Posyandu schools. The number, types of menus, and portions of food in each target are different. This is because the target recipients of MBG vary consisting of students ranging from PAUD, TK, SD grade 1 to grade 3. Then students in grades 4-6 elementary schools, junior high school students, and high school/vocational students.

The Ganda Saputra Mamun Foundation SPPG also distributes MBG to non-PAUD toddlers, pregnant and lactating women, and children with special needs. 260 non-PAUD toddlers are served and 129 pregnant and lactating women. Children with special needs are distributed by MBG to 113 students.

Beyond that target, the Ganda Saputra Mamun Foundation SPPG also provides a special menu for beneficiaries who undergo a special diet, such as not eating rice or special side dishes.

There are 22 beneficiaries who cannot eat rice. Therefore, we replace it with boiled potatoes or fries with side dishes and fruit," explained Irwan.

This special diet is given to 13 students of SMPN 19 Indihiang, 4 students from SDN 3 Parakan Nyasag, 3 students from SMA Negeri 9 Tasikmalaya, and 2 students from SDN Selamahan. Overall there are 1,206 MBG in small and 2,386 MBG in large portions.

The highest number of MBG recipients were SMA Negeri 9, namely 995, then SMPN 19 with 645 students. The lowest number of recipients were from TK Al Ikhlas and TK Al Muhajirin with 24 beneficiaries each.

Chairman of the Saputra Mamun Double Foundation which oversees the Dadan Daruslan SPPG Kitchen said they had provided MBG services since early June 2025. According to Dadan, there are 50 workers who are directly involved in the implementation every day.

Dadan said, 47 workers were recruited by the Foundation from people around them. Three workers are recruits from the National Nutrition Agency (BGN) and live in mess provided by the Foundation. They work 24 hours alternately during working hours (shifts). The 47 local workers are included in the cooking division, preparation division, packaging division, distribution division, one field assistant, and one PIC person or person in charge of the Foundation.

"We recruit male and female workers from around the environment. The age of workers is between 21 years and 50 years. In the packaging division, most of them are young and not married because their working hours start at two in the morning. Most of the women are accompanied by their fathers by motorbikes," said Dadan. Meanwhile, three BGN recruitment workers are nutritionists, accountants, and the head of SPPI.

In the view of Telkom University's communication expert in Bandung, Muhammad Sufyan, without intending to underestimate the victim, the good facts from MBG cannot be denied. Stay far more nutritious free meals that students, even teachers, administrative staff, and school security guards are safe to access.

"Will this side be raised more?" asked Sufyan.

"With 31 million who mostly receive MBG in good condition, will this also be an equalizer that the government has made efforts to reduce the prevalence of national stunting in 2024 which is still at 19.8 percent of the population under five/about 4.48 million children," he said.

Even so, with the fact from UNICEF that two of the five children under the age of five do not receive the recommended number of food groups. Sadly, more than 95 percent of children and teenagers do not consume the fruit and vegetables as recommended by the United Nations Education Agency. Therefore, the MBG Program must continue to be pursued with correct governance improvements.