Jakarta (ANTARA) - The government of Jakarta's Seribu Islands District inaugurated a nutrition fulfillment service unit (SPPG), or a kitchen for the Free Nutritious Meals (MBG) program, on Untung Jawa Island in South Seribu Islands sub-district on Tuesday.The SPPG was established through collaboration between the district government, the National Nutrition Agency (BGN), and the Mustika Cakrawala Nusantara Foundation.
"This kitchen is tangible proof of our support for the Free Nutritious Meals program promoted by the central government to fulfill the nutritional needs of schoolchildren," Secretary of South Seribu Islands Sub-district Windu Cahyaningsih remarked in Jakarta.
She highlighted that the newly launched MBG kitchen had begun operating in accordance with government standards on food quality, hygiene, and nutrition.
According to her, the MBG program targets 5,200 beneficiaries across the sub-district, with 877 people on Untung Jawa Island, 1,123 on Pari Island, and 3,200 on Tidung Island.
"It is our hope that this program can help the nation's young talents to grow and form a generation of healthy, smart, and competitive citizens," Cahyaningsih said.
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Head of the Untung Jawa local government, Sidartawan, highlighted that the SPPG is in charge of supplying free nutritious meals to children in one elementary school, one junior high school, one kindergarten, two early childhood education institutions, and one community learning center.
The program will cover the nutritional needs of toddlers and breastfeeding mothers as well, he added.
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He expressed hope that the national program would help prevent childhood malnutrition and "make residents of Untung Jawa Island smarter and healthier."
Meanwhile, a representative from the SPPG, Mutadi, pointed out that the free meals kitchen is currently staffed by 26 people from the BGN and local communities.
He added that the kitchen would operate daily and distributed 816 free meal packages to local children on its first day.
