Community Health Volunteer Bridging Changes in Parenting
Ester, a dedicated Posyandu (community health post) cadre from a village in Kupang Regency, is passionate about serving her community, especially mothers and children. Before attending the Infant and Young Child Feeding (IYCF) training organised by Wahana Visi Indonesia (WVI) and the Evangelical Christian Church in Timor (GMIT), she felt her knowledge in educating parents was limited.
Attending the IYCF training was a profoundly meaningful experience for Ester. She gained a deep understanding of the importance of proper nutrition for infants and children to prevent stunting, a major issue in her community. With comprehensive materials and counselling tools like flashcards, Ester felt more confident and ready to convey accurate information to parents. "Through the IYCF programme I participated in, I was equipped with the correct knowledge and skills for feeding infants and children according to their age. Thank you also because this programme was very beneficial for me in learning how to conduct good and proper IYCF counselling for parents or caregivers of infants and children, as well as for pregnant and breastfeeding mothers," Ester stated.
One of Ester's most memorable experiences was educating parents about appropriate complementary feeding (MP-ASI) for babies aged 6 months and older. In her community, many parents still only gave plain rice porridge with a little salt, fearing their babies would get stomach aches. Using counselling flashcards 12–16, Ester explained the importance of food variety, including "four-star meals" comprising iron-rich animal protein, carbohydrates, legumes, fruits, and vegetables, as well as snacks. She also emphasised the importance of hygiene and continuing breastfeeding until the child is two years old.
Another change Ester observed was in breastfeeding practices. She witnessed many mothers incorrectly positioning their babies during breastfeeding or feeling their milk supply was insufficient, leading them to want to give MP-ASI to children who hadn't yet reached 6 months. With the help of counselling flashcards 6 and 7, Ester can now educate mothers on proper latch and breastfeeding positions. She was very grateful to see a mother successfully implement the breastfeeding technique she taught and experience its benefits—her baby became more comfortable and breastfed longer.
For Ester, the IYCF training was not just a short programme but a long-term investment with tangible impacts on the ground. She believes that Posyandu cadres like her are the frontline in reaching parents, and IYCF provides the essential tools and knowledge for that.
Ester hopes this training will continue, ideally regularly, at least twice a year, so cadres can master the material better and provide higher quality services. She expressed profound gratitude to WVI and GMIT for the training that has transformed her approach to service and strengthened her role as an agent of change in her community. "I thank WVI and GMIT for providing this training to us Posyandu cadres. The IYCF learning has been very beneficial for me personally as a Posyandu cadre because I feel we, as cadres, are more often directly meeting parents within our service area," she revealed.
Author: Delsi Tooy (Field Facilitator from GMIT, WVI’s implementing partner in Kupang Regency)
Editor: Mariana Kurniawati (Communication Executive)
