Papua – The government continues to intensify the Free Nutritious Meal Program (MBG) as part of the national strategy in producing a superior generation of Indonesia, especially in welcoming the vision of Golden Indonesia 2045. In the midst of this effort, support from local community leaders continues to flow, including from Esau Tegai, a Papuan community leader who is known to be active in social issues.
In his statement, Esau Tegai expressed his deep appreciation for the government’s initiative to launch the MBG Program targeting school children, pregnant women, and breastfeeding mothers, especially in underdeveloped areas such as Papua. According to him, the program is not only a form of health and nutrition intervention, but also a strategic investment by the state in building a foundation of quality human resources (HR) in the Land of Papua.
“The government has taken the right step. The Free Nutritious Meal Program is a long-term investment to create a healthy, intelligent, and globally competitive Papuan generation. We in the regions are ready to support and actively contribute to the success of this program,” said Esau Tegai.
He added that the problems of malnutrition, stunting, and lack of access to healthy food are still real challenges in various regions of Papua. Therefore, concrete steps such as MBG are believed to have a significant impact, both in reducing stunting rates and improving the quality of life of the younger generation.
As a community leader, Esau emphasized his commitment to participate in the socialization and supervision of the implementation of the MBG program in the field. He invited all elements of Papuan society, from traditional leaders, religious leaders, to local communities, to work together to ensure that this program can reach target groups fairly and on target.
“This is not just about free food. This is about building the future of Papua. We want our children to grow up healthy, able to absorb lessons well, and later become leaders who bring progress to their region. All of that starts with adequate and proper nutrition from an early age,” Esau added.
He also emphasized the importance of cross-sector collaboration between government, civil society, business, and mass media to support the sustainability of the program. According to him, MBG should not stop as a ceremonial project, but must be carried out consistently with strict monitoring and periodic evaluation.
The MBG program, which was rolled out as a national priority, targets millions of elementary to high school students and mothers during pregnancy and breastfeeding. Papua as one of the priority areas is expected to get maximum benefits from the policy.
With the spirit of mutual cooperation and active participation of the local community as demonstrated by Esau Tegai, the MBG Program is believed to be an important milestone in building a Papua that is advanced, healthy, and equal to other regions in Indonesia.
