Empowering Fisher Families in the Management of Stunted and Wasted Toddlers through Nutrition Education and Diarrhea Management in Bajo Indah Village

Abstract

Malnutrition among toddlers, particularly stunting and wasting, requires comprehensive management efforts that emphasize community self-reliance, especially among vulnerable groups such as fisher families. This community service activity aimed to empower mothers of toddlers from fisher families by strengthening their cognitive capacity and practical skills in managing nutritional problems and accompanying infectious diseases in Bajo Indah Village, Konawe Regency, Southeast Sulawesi. Involving 33 mother–toddler pairs, the activity was conducted from July to October 2025 using anthropometric screening, group education, interactive counseling, and demonstrations on preparing oral rehydration solution and processing animal-source complementary foods for toddlers. Screening results confirmed a high burden of malnutrition: 63.6% of toddlers were stunted and 51.5% were wasted. This condition was compounded by maternal nutritional status, with 27.2% of mothers experiencing chronic energy deficiency, predominantly among those with primary education (60.0%). Through integrated empowerment efforts, mothers' nutrition knowledge increased substantially. Post-test evaluation showed that the proportion of mothers with adequate knowledge rose from 30.3% to 75.7%. This activity demonstrates that empowerment through practical skill-building, ranging from early diarrhea management with oral rehydration solution to the preparation of animal-source foods, can maximize local food resources among fisher families and accelerate the recovery of toddlers' nutritional status.