A new hope has come

"Jelita likes to eat her meal now. She really likes eating leafy vegetables, eggs, fish, and mung bean," said Susana, a caregiver and grandmother of Jelita. They live in South Oenenu, a village in North Central Timor.

In September 2013, Jelita was 15-months-old and her weight was only 6.5 kg. According to Road to Health Card, an Indonesian card indicating a toddler's health, Jelita was categorized as a red-ribbon toddler because her weight was not ideal.

Jelita was malnourished.

When Jelita was 3-months-old, her parents left her to go work abroad. From that time, she's lived with her grandmother, Susana.

Considering her condition, Wahana Visi Indonesia (WVI) in North Central Timor working with local government and local health service center conducted the Nutrition Post using positive deviant (PD) approach. The nutrition post aims to rehabilitate toddlers who suffer from malnutrition.

This Nutrition Post was frequently held in South Oenenu where Jelita and her grandmother lived. Nine toddlers including Jelita were involved in this activity. For 10 days, parents and caregivers carried nutritious ingredients from their homes and cooked it under the instruction of health staff. They also gained a new understanding about nutrition and health before practicing it in their own home.

Last February, Jelita became a healthy girl with ideal weight, 10 kg. Jelita isn't underweight anymore. Her Road to Health Card is green card now which means that she's healthy.

"I'm happy because Jelita's weight has increased a lot. I promise to feed her nutritious meal," said Susana happily.