Community Empowerment Through Increasing Child Nutrition Knowledge to Mitigate Stunting on Derawan Island, Berau Regency

Pemberdayaan Masyarakat Melalui Peningkatan Pengetahuan Gizi Anak Untuk Mitigasi Stunting di Pulau Derawan, Kabupaten Berau

Abstract

Stunting is a chronic health issue caused by prolonged nutritional deficiencies, particularly during the first 1,000 days of life (HPK). In Kampung Pulau Derawan, Berau Regency, the stunting rate remains high despite the region's abundant marine resources such as fish. Low consumption of animal protein and vegetables, along with limited community knowledge on balanced nutrition, are the main contributing factors. The "Let’s Eat Fish" and "Let’s Eat Vegetables" campaigns are educational interventions implemented by community service students from Universitas Mulawarman to raise nutritional awareness. These programs targeted early childhood students, teachers, and parents through presentations, interactive discussions, visual media, and the distribution of supplementary foods (PMT) based on local ingredients. The results indicate that nutrition education rooted in community empowerment successfully fostered healthy eating habits, improved nutritional knowledge, and strengthened sustainable stunting prevention efforts. This initiative also involved collaborative efforts between students, local authorities, health workers, and the community through a stunting discussion forum (rembuk stunting), ensuring the program was contextually relevant and community-driven.