Sleman, July 28, 2022. Healthy food is the key to healthy growth and development, especially in children during their growth period. Nutritional intake is not only obtained at home but also often from the environment, including schools. A survey conducted by BPOM in 2010 stated that more than 70% of food poisoning incidents from snacks occurred among elementary school students. The selection of safe foods and snacks for children is crucial to prevent similar incidents from recurring within the school environment.
Coinciding with the celebration of National Children’s Day on July 23rd, The Research Center for Biotechnology Universitas Gadjah Mada and the Master’s Program in Biotechnology at UGM, in collaboration with DPKM UGM, organized a Community Service Program for elementary school students in Ngaglik District, Sleman. The event, themed “Edukasi Raja Manta” (Safe and Healthy Snacking Movement), aimed to encourage elementary school students to pay more attention to their choice of snacks consumed at school.
The activities took place at SDN Seloharjo on July 27th and SDN Sukosari on July 28th, and involved students from grades 1 to 6. The event began with presentations and quizzes about safe and healthy foods and snacks, followed by various interactive games related to the same theme. All participants were enthusiastic about participating in the entire series of events.
“Consuming healthy food is a fundamental aspect of children’s growth and development, especially in supporting their learning process at school. However, many children still struggle to differentiate safe snacks for consumption, often causing shared concerns. Hence, I believe this activity is of great importance to provide elementary school students with the knowledge and ability to recognize and choose safe and healthy foods,” stated Dr. Yekti Asih Purwestri, M.Si., the head of the community service program and also the Head of The Research Center for Biotechnology Universitas Gadjah Mada.
The principal of SDN Seloharjo, Drs. Japar, and SDN Sukosari, Haryana, S.Pd.I., agreed that in today’s era, there is a need for education about safe and healthy snacks with unique packaging. This education serves as a foundation for children to be more mindful about the snacks they consume outside the supervision of parents or teachers.
In addition to Dr. Yekti Asih Purwestri, M.Si., the implementation of this program also involved Dr. Tri Rini Nuringtyas, M.Sc., the Head of the Doctoral Program in Biotechnology; Dr. Dini Wahyu Kartika Sari, S.Pi., M.Si., the Head of the Master’s Program in Biotechnology; students from the Master’s Program in Biotechnology at UGM’s Graduate School; and students from UGM’s Community Service Program (KKN-PPM). The program organizers also partnered with a local micro, small, and medium enterprise (UMKM) called Niki Ulam, which is under the supervision of the Department of Fisheries, Faculty of Agriculture at UGM. This UMKM provided various healthy snacks based on processed fish for SDN Seloharjo and SDN Sukosari.
It is hoped that this activity will not end here. In the future, schools may consider establishing a “Healthy Canteen” to provide safe and healthy food within the school environment. This activity is in line with the 3th SDG on health.
