A total of 18,000 Family Planning Counselors (PKB) and Field Family Planning Officers (PLKB) are prepared to play a key role in implementing the government’s Free Nutritious Meal (MBG) program for specific target groups like pregnant women, breastfeeding mothers, preschoolers, and toddlers, especially those under two years old. The Deputy Minister of Population and Family Development, Ratu Ayu Isyana Bagoes Oka, shared this information during a discussion forum called “Double Check” organized by the Presidential Communication Office (PCO) in collaboration with Gempita in Jakarta. The event also included Deputy Minister of Women’s Empowerment and Child Protection, Veronica Tan, and PCO Senior Expert Staff, Chacha Anisa. Isyana highlighted the government’s efforts to prepare for Indonesia’s golden generation in 2045 by emphasizing the importance of the MBG program. This initiative not only caters to schoolchildren but also extends its benefits to pregnant women, breastfeeding mothers, toddlers, and preschoolers who are outside the purview of the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education. By partnering with the National Nutrition Agency (BGN), Kemendukbangga deploys trained cadres to execute the program on the ground. In addition to PKB and PLKB cadres, Kemendukbangga collaborates with the Ministry of Health and Ministry of Home Affairs to establish Family Assistance Teams (TPK) nationwide, comprising health workers, Family Welfare Movement (PKK) cadres, and family planning volunteers. Isyana emphasized the crucial role of nutrition for expectant and nursing mothers, as well as young children, stressing that enhancing human resources’ quality, a key goal outlined in the government’s Asta Cita, begins at the family level and from a young age. She highlighted the significance of the first 1,000 days of life in preventing stunting, emphasizing that this critical period starts not at birth but during pregnancy.
18,000 Cadres Ready to Lead Free Nutritious Meal Distribution by Deputy Minister
