Problem

Improving early and exclusive breastfeeding in Indonesia would help reduce the country's high rates of neonatal mortality and malnutrition among children under five. Fewer than 4 in 10 children are breastfed within an hour of birth, and half of the mothers who do breastfeed stop midway into the six-month period recommended by doctors. These indicators are even worse in Indonesia's capital, Jakarta, where one-quarter of 5-year-olds are underweight.

The Gift

In Jakarta's poorest neighborhoods, Mercy Corps promotes the practice and benefits of breastfeeding. We create training programs for health providers and maternity clinics. And we foster neighborhood-level support groups for pregnant and nursing mothers, promote events that raise awareness about the advantages of breastfeeding, and lobby local and national policymakers.