Tanoto Foundation’s Stunting Awareness Month

Other than APC’s Thousand Days Fund, Tanoto Foundation, headed by APC member Belinda Tanoto, has set aside July 2020 to be Stunting Awareness Month. Throughout the month, Tanoto Foundation’s website and social media page will be educating the community on how the prevalence of Indonesia’s stunting rate will impact the nation’s development.

What Is Stunting And Why It Matters

More than one in four children in Indonesia, or 10 million children under the age of five, suffer from stunting. That’s more than the population of Jakarta, or equivalent to almost two Singapore’s. Source: Tanoto Foundation

Stunted growth is caused by a lack of adequate nutrition and results in life-long health problems, from reduced IQ to greater susceptibility to diabetes and cancer. There is also a huge economic cost, with Indonesia’s Ministry of Health estimating that the prevalence of stunting costs the country 2-3% of GDP, or as much as US$27 billion each year.

The good news is that the condition is easily preventable, but a lot of work remains if Indonesia is to achieve its target of bringing stunting down from 28% in 2019 to 20% by 2024.

That’s why Tanoto Foundation is holding Stunting Awareness Month, to raise awareness of this condition, how to prevent it, and how to treat it in kids who are already stunted. Read more about their efforts here.