2020

GNE planned on going to Indonesia in March of 2020 to continue our work in collaboration with the Indonesian government on the No More Stunting project.  However, the trip was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.  We hope to return to Indonesia in 2021.

2019

     GNE went to Indonesia in April 2019 with high expectations – all of which were exceeded.  The invitation to collaborate with the Indonesian government’s project “No More Stunting” has become a reality.  Vitamin Angels supplies the micronutrient supplements for 20,000 women. GNE provides the nutrition education.  The Banggai Regency Public Health department is organizing and delivering the program. Collaboration, leverage, local, effective – this is what GNE has been working to achieve!

     Five GNE team members delivered 25 digital tablets loaded with GNE “Nutrition in Pregnancy” and “General Nutrition” apps, translated into 2 Indonesian dialects and English. The translations and recordings had been done in Luwuk and then incorporated into the apps in Oregon. Everyone on the team was delighted with the collaboration and final product. Thank you to the Hurley girls for sewing the beautiful and unique GNE gift bags used to present the tablets.

     Officials and researchers from Hasanuddin University held a kick-off meeting in Luwuk, Indonesia.  All community health volunteers and Public Health workers in the study area were assembled, GNE’s Miao Zhao demonstrated the tablets and troubleshooting tactics. Two teams then travelled to all 20 villages in the study area over 5 days. Some villages were in remote mountain regions, others were small fishing villages. We were impressed that community health volunteers were comfortable with the tablets and local women were keen to participate.  The GNE team was treated to feasts of proudly prepared local foods – knowledge for future app editions!

     Week 2 we returned to Lombok to continue our work with the JKF Foundation in the village of Ungge. They had several new activities – a pen pal program with partners in Nepal, gardening projects, improved water treatment, and of course nutrition.  A play written and produced by the children was delightful.

     Following completion of the GNE trip, some team members took time to scuba dive and view the world’s greatest variety of coral off the northern tip of Sulawesi.  Neil Forsberg and Marie Long will be returning to Luwuk in early August to give talks at a conference on the progress of the program.

Marie, Miao and Peter joined Neil and Leslie in Bali and continued on to the island of Lombok, Indonesia, where we met with members of the Jage Kastare Foundation.  We spent the next 2 days at the village of Ungge interviewing mothers, trying out the education program in Bahasa on tablets, measuring students, and enjoying the ducks.  The mother’s group shared with us their hopes and plans and some of their wonderful wares like hand-woven tapestries. The students put on a drama they had written in English.

 Another high point was a meeting with the SUMMIT Institute of Development and Dr Anuraj Shankar that gave us a chance to hear about their trial of micronutrient supplements in pregnancy.  Dr.Shankar’s advice was to “think big.” We look forward to exploring a possible partnership with them.

Please enjoy this slideshow from our trip:  pending

Return to Trips