Since 2005, JOICFP in cooperation with the Indonesian Planned Parenthood Association (IPPA), IPPF ESEAOR, and with the financial support of Yakult Corporation has been implementing an integrated safe motherhood project focusing on nutrition and reduction of infant mortality on the island of Lombok in the West Nusa Tenggara region of Indonesia. (Click here and here for previous JOICFP eNEWS articles on the project.)

From 2nd to 8th October, Hideyuki Takahashi, Director, Resource Development and Campaign, JOICFP, led a monitoring team to the project site. The team was joined by Ng Soong Lek, Program Officer, IPPF ESEAOR, who provided technical assistance.

The baseline survey had revealed that both remote rural agricultural and fishing communities sell produce and catch, and then use the money to buy other food, often with low nutritional value. Many men become migrant workers, leaving their wives to look after children alone, and some other men take more than one wife. These factors, as well as the low socio-economic conditions, all contribute to poor nutrition and the poor health of mothers and infants.

Furthermore, many farmers and fishermen are in debt because of poor agricultural and fishing conditions, and they sell the crop or fish & seaweed to repay debts, only to borrow again to buy food. Interest rates are estimated to be as high as 300-400% a year.

Providing nutritious supplementary food in the project site

It can be seen that safe motherhood is more than a health issue; social and economic factors play important roles.

Due to a lack of resources, little accurate data has been collected by the government, and national health programs hardly reach the region.

In the region, close to 100% of deliveries are at home, with only traditional birth attendants (TBAs) present, despite WHO and Indonesian government guidelines that midwives must be present.

The project has provided informal training for TBAs, taking into account literacy shortcomings. Classes are being provided for women, including literacy where the text used for teaching is leaflets on safe motherhood, nutrition, malaria prevention, etc.

Other classes are on nutrition, focusing on how to use local produce, and on reviving Posyandu, the Indonesian government community-based child survival and development program.

In this way, the aims of the project are further strengthened.

An outdoor literacy class in the project site

Yakult has seen how its assistance is starting to empower people, and its corporate image is benefiting from the activities. The continued support of Yakult through 2009 will help ensure the success of the project.