A free school lunch initiative is a positive change, providing financial relief for families and improving child nutrition and educational outcomes.
“I am not worried anymore because I know they will eat at school. They have more appetite as they eat together with their friends,” says Ms. Rofiati, a mother of a student who has gained 4 kilograms since the program started.
Recently, the trial program rolled out across Indonesia and was available to children from poor or disadvantaged families. Statistics reveal that 20 per cent of Indonesian children under the age of five experienced stunted growth due to poor nutrition in 2022. The program is necessary to ensure disadvantaged children receive the nutrients they need. The lunch program is “temporary” but is expected to be fully implemented by 2029. The full rollout is scheduled in phases, with the least developed regions at the forefront.
