STORY
Supporting the Welfare of Children In Indonesia
Sumba Integrated Development Improves Community Health in Indonesian Villages
By Kari Brayman
Sumba, one of over 17,000 Indonesian islands, maintains many ancient traditions such as beautiful woven clothing, traditional peaked houses, “pasola” horse racing, and spiritual beliefs.
Historically referred to as “Sandalwood Island” by Dutch colonizers, Sumba once had a large number of sandalwood trees, but not anymore. Although the island is still a significant producer of cashews, it has become increasingly challenging to cultivate other food and cash crops due to changing weather patterns and agricultural pests. The duration of the rainy season has shortened, and the lack of education and resources in this remote location has resulted in a high incidence of malnutrition. In 2023, a locust infestation devastated the food crops of many Sumban communities, most of which were already struggling with poverty. Consequently, many of the island’s population faces food insecurity.
Why did we choose zero to 5 years? Because that is the foundation of human health. If the foundation is strong in the womb, and at this stage of childhood, then it will be easier for us to intercept issues that develop later in life.
– Anto Kila, Executive Director, SID
SID works in various areas, such as public policy, social and legal advocacy, and child protection. They aim to support child empowerment and protection, educational development, fulfillment of indigenous communities’ social rights, climate change adaptation, disaster risk reduction, life skills, and entrepreneurship. As a partner of Vitamin Angels, SID distributes vitamin A and deworming to children under five in Sumba.
Vitamin Angels
To reduce the risk of stunting and improve overall child health, SID implements its Holistic Integrated Early Childhood Education and Development program in 13 villages in Southwest Sumba. It serves 28 preschools and 50 community health centers, providing essential services where regular government services are unavailable. Integrating holistic care for early childhood health includes sanitation, nutrition, immunizations, parenting education, and health services at community distributions where vitamin A and deworming, provided by Vitamin Angels, are offered. This coordinated service approach allows SID to reach nearly 2,000 children attending the preschools and over 1600 via the villages’ health centers.
A partner of Vitamin Angels since 2017, Sumba Integrated Development upholds universal values of love, democracy, respect, honesty, cooperation, and responsibility regardless of ethnicity, religion, class, or gender.
1 https://www.unicef.org/indonesia/sites/unicef.org.indonesia/files/2020-06/The-State-of-Children-in-Indonesia-2020.pdf
2 https://www.unicef.org/indonesia/sites/unicef.org.indonesia/files/2019-05/NTT_ProvincialBrief.pdf
3 https://globalnutritionreport.org/resources/nutrition-profiles/asia/south-eastern-asia/indonesia/