IndonesiaIndonesia

Helping moms & babies in Indonesia

You are changing the lives of moms and babies. Here’s how.

Mom's & BabiesMom's & Babies
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The Need

Of the 5.2 million children who die around the world each year, 75 per cent die in the first year of life. Babies are at risk of death due to premature birth complications, complications during childbirth, infections, pneumonia and diarrhea. But this is preventable. With training and support, moms in poverty can be empowered to raise healthy and happy babies.

Our Response

Critical care
Your support helps secure access to pre- and postnatal care, skilled birth attendants and medical intervention when necessary.

Home-based care
Mothers are visited in their homes monthly by a Survival specialist, who offers education in prenatal care and early child-rearing as well as one-on-one biblical mentoring.

Group-based learning
At these church-based activities, moms learn skills to earn an income and gain vital knowledge including basic literacy, the importance of breastfeeding and how to prevent malnutrition and disease. These groups combat isolation through a supportive community of mothers who, together, learn about the God who loves them.

Indonesia Stats

Average number of children in household 2
Average age of first-time mothers 20
Births attended by skilled health personnel 64
Stunted growth from malnutrition 32

Activities

Home visits: Program staff visited moms in their homes, providing Survival families with personalized care and pre- and postnatal support. Staff taught moms how to make different meals for their babies when they are ready to try solid foods. Moms also learned how to stimulate their children’s physical, emotional and cognitive development through age-appropriate activities and games. Staff shared the Word of God, prayed with caregivers and offered counselling. Moms learned to raise their children following biblical principles.

Nutrition: Moms learned how to make nutritious meals for their families using locally available foods and affordable ingredients like oats, rice, meat and vegetables. Pregnant moms learned to make healthy smoothies such as dragon fruit and soursop juice, which contains essential nutrients like iron, folic acid and vitamin C, to support healthy pregnancies. Survival families also received monthly food baskets.

Health and hygiene: Program staff checked each baby’s height and weight to monitor their growth and development. Babies showing signs of malnutrition were treated with vitamins and supplements. Babies and moms had regular medical checkups with physicians. Moms learned to keep their children and homes clean to prevent illnesses, and local health workers educated caregivers on healthy lifestyle habits.

Childhood development: Moms met at the early stimulation room at the centre, where their children could explore, play with age-appropriate toys and develop their skills in a safe and comfortable environment. Staff taught caregivers the importance of singing and talking to their babies to promote language development. Moms and babies enjoyed a swimming activity, where children could move their bodies in new ways.

Celebrations: Caregivers gathered to celebrate special events and holidays like Independence Day and Easter. At Easter, moms participated in a fun Easter egg decorating contest. Families also enjoyed attending a children’s playground. Program staff used special events to teach moms lessons from the Survival curriculum and encourage socialization among families.

Newborn care: Staff gave new moms diapers and showed them how to properly care for their babies. Moms also received hygiene products to keep their newborns clean and healthy. Staff educated moms on signs of illness and injury in newborns and what to do in case emergency. Staff ensured each baby received adequate nutrition. One four-month-old baby was left in the care of her aunt, so staff found a local donor to provide the family with breastmilk.

Project Stats

This intervention addressed:

Full-term births 15
Pregnancies 4
Breastfeeding Moms 11
Malnourished Babies - Severely Underweight 5
Attended births 15
Malnourished Babies - Moderately Underweight 14
Normal birth weights 13
Low birth weights 2
Veronika

ReportA message from those your gift helped

Peace be with us all in the name of the Lord Jesus. Our family is healthy and blessed. Please allow me to introduce my family. My name is Veronika, and I am a housewife. My husband’s name is Randi, and he is a farmer. We have two children. Our firstborn, Revanka, is seven years old now and is in the second grade. Our youngest one, Loveranza, is nine months old. She is a Survival participant and was born in March 2023. I gave birth to her normally.

Loveranza is used to waking up at 6 a.m. every day and having her breakfast at 8 a.m. After that, I usually bathe her and take her for a walk. She then takes a nap at 10 a.m., and I feed her at 12 p.m. After she finishes her meal, I play with her, and I teach her to walk and sing. She then takes another nap. I also bathe her in the afternoon every day, and I feed her after that. In the evening, she usually goes to sleep at 8 p.m. Loveranza is a very active little girl. She enjoys biting on toys the most. She loves standing while holding onto something. She can also say “ma… ma… pa… pa… ba… ba… ta… ta… te… te… and mam… mam….”

We are so grateful to be a part of the Survival program. There are many Survival activities, such as worship services, fun walks, group activities and medical checkups with a pediatrician. Each Survival activity means a lot to us. We always feel strengthened by the Word of God. Relationships with other Survival participants go well. Our children benefit a lot because they get adequate nutrition, stay healthy and have their other needs met.

Each activity also helps our children develop good character. Everything we get from the program is useful because we know how to make healthy foods and adopt clean and healthy living behaviours. It is very important for me as a mother because I have to pay attention to matters like these. There are things that we can’t provide our families, but the Survival program helps meet our families’ needs. My baby girl is so excited about attending Survival activities because she can meet and play with her peers.

May God always bless us all!

Regards,

Veronika