Students participating in the Universitas Gadjah Mada Community Service Program (KKN-PPM UGM) in Gorontalo introduced fish surimi as an alternative ingredient for supplementary feeding to help support stunting prevention in Tenda Subdistrict, Hulonthalangi District, Gorontalo City.
The students introduced surimi as a nutritious, locally available food ingredient you can prepare in a variety of child-friendly dishes, including meatballs, nuggets, and otak-otak, a traditional Indonesian fish cake.
Nurchalizah Asmiaty Puteri Madjid, a member of the KKN-PPM UGM Gorontalo team, said the program was designed to encourage residents to make better use of locally available nutritious foods while increasing awareness of the importance of preventing stunting from an early age.
“We want the community to understand that preventing stunting can begin with simple steps, such as preparing nutritious meals from locally available ingredients that are easy to make. We hope you can apply this knowledge sustainably in everyday life,” she said on Monday (July 27).
The students emphasized that nutritious food does not always have to be expensive or difficult to prepare. By using locally available fish and processing it into surimi, families can develop a variety of dishes that appeal to children while supporting their nutritional needs.
The educational session was attended by integrated health service post (Posyandu) volunteers, pregnant women, and around 30 mothers with children under five from Tenda Subdistrict. Participants actively engaged in the discussion and asked questions about child nutrition and stunting prevention.
One Posyandu volunteer, Hartini Panai, said the program provided practical knowledge that the community could apply.
“This educational session has been very helpful in teaching us how to prepare healthy food for children. We also learned more about how to prevent stunting,” she said.
In addition to nutrition education, the students introduced participants to Indonesia’s National Health Insurance program (BPJS Kesehatan) and the Mobile JKN application.
The session aimed to improve community understanding of healthcare services and digital tools that can help residents manage their healthcare independently. Participants learned about the healthcare service process and were encouraged to make use of available digital services.
The students hope this additional information will help residents access healthcare services more effectively, particularly for preventive and routine health services for mothers and children.
Through the program, the KKN-PPM UGM students sought to combine nutrition education, local food utilization, and health service literacy as part of a broader community-based approach to stunting prevention.
The team hopes residents will be able to prepare nutritious supplementary foods using locally available ingredients and apply the knowledge gained through the program in their daily lives. At the same time, greater awareness of BPJS Kesehatan and Mobile JKN is expected to help communities make better use of available healthcare services.
By connecting local food innovation with nutrition and health education, the program aims to support ongoing efforts to reduce stunting in Gorontalo City while encouraging a healthier and more self-reliant community.
Reporter: Gorontalo Unit of KKN-PPM Team
Author: Triya Andriyani
Post-Editor: Priyanandaningrat