Indonesia’s future depends on her women and children.

Our children are the future, and our women are a big part of our present as well as fundamental in the shaping of the future,

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Children will grow up to become Indonesia’s future workers and leaders, but constraints to their development remain. Malnutrition and limited access to water and sanitation are still significant problems for Indonesia, which are linked to high stunting rates and poor health. Indeed, one of the issues BantuYuk! wants to tackle specifically is early childhood development (ECD). The quality of basic education is also low, despite the higher school enrolment rates. It is important to note that many children enter school unprepared to learn, due to them not enrolling in preschool. On the bright side, gender gaps have for the most part been closed in terms of school enrolment and academic achievement.

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There are 135 million women in the country, but female labor force participation is low at 52 percent, 30 percent lower than that of men. The potential of female contribution to economic growth is substantial. Health outcomes are also poor among women, with maternal mortality rates contributing in large part to Indonesia’s relatively low adult survival rates.

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Why women and children? We understand that poor health and education outcomes in women will affect the wellbeing of their children. For example, inadequate nutrition during pregnancy will adversely impact fetus growth, which may result in low birth weight and chronic malnutrition. These are linked to poor cognitive development in children, which impairs their ability to learn well in school, work in high-skill jobs and achieve high productivity as an adult. An educated mother can manage household finances better, provide a nutritious diet, or even access quality childcare services.

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The government of Indonesia has made significant progress in tackling these issues, but pockets of disparity remain. Here is where BantuYuk! comes in: we hope to make impact where national programs could not reach. We hope you will support us in our journey.