Brothers join the fight against Malnutrition

In Nias, current malnutrition rates are 39% over twice the national average for Indonesia. One of the biggest challenges facing these communities is understanding basic health care practices and ensuring good nutrition for children under five years. Segera Wa’u (Sege), tells us his story.

My family

“My name is Segera Wa’u (Sege) and i am 17 years ol. I am the one and only male teenager cadre from Hilisalo’o, Botohilitano village, Nias Selatan.”

“Since my father has recently passed away I have started to look after my youngest brothers Lakhemi, is 44 months and Sultan, 32 months. They are the ninth and tenth children my mother Ina Mardi has given birth too. When the SurfAid facilitators Mutiara Sihombing and Yustisia Wa’u approached my mother to join the Hearth rehabilitation session she could not see any point and refused to participate. But to me there was something unique and unusual in the Hearth sessions facilitated by SurfAid International. I had never seen NGOs work directly with poor mothers like that before in our village.”

Looking in from the outside

 “After a few days of the Hearth session, I observed that the Hearth session was good for the weaker children like my younger brothers, Sultan and Lakhemi.  On the sixth day of the Hearth, while my mother was out, I brought my two brothers and two cans of rice (approx ½ kg) as our contribution to participate in the Hearth with the other mothers.”

“The other caregivers and Hearth cadres (formal volunteers) welcomed us to join the Hearth session.  They all know my families condition and thankfully asked me to only bring firewood next time so I didn’t have to bring rice, which I didn’t have anyway! Everyday I brought firewood and coconut which I collected from our coconut trees. After the second week Mutiara and Ina Anugrah the head cadre asked me be a Hearth cadre, this was a real honour for me.”

Family Impacts

“When my father passed away I knew my mother would not have the heart to look after all of us. What I saw SurfAid doing was good and I wanted to join in. I have now learnt how to cook healthy meals from local ingredients which cost nothing extra to our family. It was difficult to mange Lakhemi and Sultan at the being but seeing the care and additional food they got kept me motivated. At home too it is having positive impacts. We now know and understand the importance of hygiene and hand washing and we are keeping our home cleaner than before.”

"But best of all my two little brothers have both gained weight, Sultan gained 800 grams and Lakhemi 900 grams over the last two months. They both are no longer several malnourished and they are both cleaner, more energetic and friendly with other kids. If SurfAid did not help us, I don’t know what would be of them now. Thank you SurfAid!"  

Segera Wa’u was interviewed by Herry Napitupulu is the Senior Community Facilitator for Nias Selatan. Muturia and Yustisa are two of 6 Community Facilitators working with SurfAid to rehabilitate 50% of the 419 malnourished children in the SurfAid partner villages of Nias Selatan by June 2009.   The Community Based Health Program in Nias is funded by NZAID.  Story was edited by Declan hearne.