Kraft Foods and Save the Children: Revitalizing Posyandus in Indonesia to Improve Maternal and Child Health

The partnership between Kraft Foods (KF) and Save the Children (SC) started in April 2009 and will continue until March 2012.  The program called FRESH (Future Resilience and Stronger Households) – also known as ‘Posyandu Strengthening Program’ - aims to improve feeding practices, healthy behaviors, community-based health services, and early childhood development (ECD) services.  Its goal is to help families become stronger through improved health and nutrition of children in West Java.  Intervention areas include West Bandung, Bekasi, and Karawang districts that target 54 villages and 556 Posyandus.  These districts were jointly selected by SC and KF and are in close proximity to KF’s three operating plants in West Java. By the end of March 2011, Save the Children had reached 40,204 children and mothers through posyandus and ECD services, trained 2,560 cadres, reached 455 of 556 Posyandus, and reached 399,726 individuals through food festivals and the distribution of health education materials.  Over 240 KF employees have volunteered to help with the FRESH Indonesia project.  A schedule of quarterly employee engagement program (EEP) activities has been developed for the duration of the project. Cadres are also engaging in local, healthy menu promotion activities during bi-weekly feeding demonstrations to reinforce health, nutrition, and hygiene messages that are promoted at the monthly Posyandus.