Danone Indonesia And MPKU PP Muhammadiyah Hold Guidance For Healthy Schools To Reduce National Stunting Rates

Photo: Special

JAKARTA - Emphasizing the position as a strategic partner of the Indonesian government in reducing the national stunting rate, Danone Indonesia is expanding its partnership with the General Health Development Council (MPKU) of the Central Leadership of PP Muhammadiyah to carry out the Sedical Education of the Healthy School Program Towards Indonesia Emas 2045, Tuesday 11 February.

The activities carried out in the framework of the 2025 National Nutrition Day were inaugurated by dr. Mochamad Syafak Hanung, Sp. A., MPH, Deputy Chairperson of MPKU Muhammadiyah and Astri Wahyuni, Public Affairs and Sustainability Director of Danone Indonesia witnessed by Sepyo Achanto, SH.M MH, Pj, Magelang Regent. On a hybrid basis, this activity succeeded in breaking the MURI record for the education program with the highest number of participants, namely 18,579 elementary, junior high, high and vocational students from 161 Muhammadiyah schools in four Central Java Regencies and the Special Region of Yogyakarta.

In his remarks Sepyo Achanto, SH.M MH, Acting Regent of Magelang appreciated the initiatives taken by Danone Indonesia and MPKU PP Muhammadiyah. If not handled properly, stunting can result in serious problems both for individuals affected and for the nation.

Children with stunting are susceptible to various diseases that fail to grow which affect cognitive abilities and low levels of education, making it difficult to compete in the world of work and have the potential to encourage high poverty rates. In addition, anemia, which is one of the health problems for the Indonesian people, especially young women, plays a role in exacerbating stunting problems.

"Therefore, to accelerate the reduction in the national stunting rate, efforts are needed to collaborate with the main multi-sector in the form of education, such as campaigning for the application of a balanced nutritional diet by taking into account the intake of iron, consumption of blood-added tablets, and increasing literacy among school residents about healthy lifestyles," he explained, in a written statement, Thursday, February 13.

In line with Sepyo Achanto, Astri Wahyuni, Public Affairs and Sustainability Director of Danone Indonesia, revealed that Danone Indonesia is not only committed to presenting quality nutritional and drinking water products, but also supports various initiatives that focus on meeting nutritional needs and environmental sustainability.

Departing from the same goal as MPKU PP Muhammadiyah, namely improving public public health, Danone Indonesia is proud and grateful to be able to expand its partnership with MPKU PP Muhammadiyah in the implementation of the 2025 Healthy School program Grand Education, after previously working together in the I Like the Fill of My Pirings and Advanced Generation Healthy Schools.

Danone Indonesia has a long-term commitment in overcoming nutritional problems in Indonesia such as stunting where one of the causes of this condition is the problem of improper diet that causes many Indonesian children to experience iron deficiency anemia. For this reason, education in the healthy school program is very important to bring enthusiasm and understanding to prevent stunting and anemia starting from educational institutions.

"We hope that this partnership can expand the reach of health and environmental education to apply the principles of sustainability for the sake of personal and environmental health as well as become future steps and investments for the golden, healthy, superior, and character generation," explained Astri.

dr. Mochamad Syafak Hanung, Sp. A., MPH, Deputy Chairperson of MPKU Muhammadiyah Central Executive, stated that collective actions carried out by various parties, including the government, private sector, religious organizations, and educational institutions, are very important to ensure that stunting cases can be handled appropriately. As part of this effort, Muhammadiyah has the responsibility to continue to encourage healthy schools, which is in line with Muhammadiyah's vision of producing intelligent, noble, and holistically healthy generations.

"Education programs such as the 2025 Healthy School Akbar Education are strategic steps in accelerating stunting management by directly involving students, teachers, and parents in implementing a healthy lifestyle," he said.

An integrative and comprehensive approach to reducing stunting rates is the key in tackling and preventing stunting in order to improve the quality of human resources in Indonesia. One of the literature studies published in the Journal of Teaching Physical Education in Elementary School, states that nutrition education provided to teachers can improve their skills in assessing student nutritional status, so that early detection can be carried out properly. More comprehensive intervention is needed, in addition to nutrition education, in stunting prevention in elementary schools.

Therefore, initiatives from Danone Indonesia and MPKU Muhammadiyah are expected to help the government in reducing stunting rates. As a company that always flows benefits and goodness with the Muslim community in Indonesia, Danone Indonesia's partnership with PP Muhammadiyah this time is not the first partnership.

Previously, Danone Indonesia had collaborated with MPKU PP Muhammadiyah to jointly expand the reach of health and environmental education and mobilize all elements of society to apply the principles of sustainability for the sake of personal and environmental health.

A number of Indonesian Danone partnership programs with PP Muhammadiyah include designing programs to improve public health education, focusing on awareness of stunting prevention, balanced nutrition, and clean and healthy living behavior (PHBS). In the program entitled Healthy and Filling Piringku which is aimed at elementary school (SD) students, has succeeded in reaching 251 elementary schools in 22 districts in Central Java, West Java, Banten, and DKI Jakarta, involving around 31,548 students, teachers, and parents in educational activities.

In addition, Danone Indonesia has also collaborated with the Muhammadiyah Halal Audit Agency-Halal Studies and Thoyyib (LPH-KHT) in implementing halal certification for MSMEs.

Previously, Danone Indonesia had also been active with partners to support the government's efforts to eradicate nutrition in the country in a number of initiatives, including collaboration with the Faculty of Human Ecology (FEMA) of the Bogor Agricultural Institute (IPB) in the form of the Healthy Education Program with the Contents of my Pirings for PAUD, SD, parents, and teachers, who have received support from the Ministry of Education and Culture.

Danone Indonesia and FEMA IPB have also been supported by BKKBN through the GESID program, a nutritional and health education program and the formation of characters centered on empowering junior high and high school age teenagers as peer educators in schools.

"We hope that various efforts made with the Muslim community in Indonesia, including collaboration with PP Muhammadiyah, can become a field of blessing that flows more benefits and goodness for the people and the people of Indonesia. Furthermore, this partnership can run like a friendship that never breaks, is sustainable, and moves more parties in various communities and becomes an intermediary for the good of the Indonesian people, including supporting the government's efforts to reduce stunting rates. With more and more parties involved, more and more parties are inspired to do the same thing, so that the government's target in reducing stunting rates in Indonesia can be achieved," concluded Astri.