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Relevant background information
From the early 1980s the Indonesian Ministry of Health operated a well-known programme called the Dokter Kecil Programme in schools. This evolved separately from Child-to Child and had its own materials and training patterns. It was extended all over Indonesia and had the personal support of the President. In this programme special children were appointed as school/community health monitors and given considerable responsibilities, both for hygiene and detecting signs of disease.
Critics of the programme pointed out that it reinforced a medical model of health education since the “Little Doctors” were specially nominated and only they were given health responsibilities. In practice the programme was most successful in higher cost schools and the “Little Doctors” themselves usually came from middle-class families. The programme was widely publicised and reported. Since that time the title “Dokter Kecil” has been applied to a number of other programmes in which the children taking part were volunteers rather than appointees and many of the “medical” aspects of the original programme, e.g. the issuing of white jackets and clip-boards to the “Dokters”, was discontinued. For one example see: unicef website
At the same time, one University at Semarang introduced the approach into the training of its Community Health Students and adapted Child-to-Child materials to suit the particular context and purpose of the training. A number of NGO groups also organised small Child-to Child programmes and produced translations of Child-to-Child materials (mostly the story books), which are available at the Child-to Child resource centre in London.
Note 1
Save the Children Semarang
CtC activities began in 2000 in makeshift refugee and IDP camps. Later the activity was extended to primary schools where both refugee/IDP and local children go to school. Save the Children adopted the CtC approach for health promotion activities working with refugee and displaced children in Indonesia. Approximately 3,000 children participated, along with 500 trained Community Health Volunteers and 40 teachers. Although the programme ended in 2003, SC Indonesia is willing to share information about the programme and lessons learned.
Date: 2003
Source: Kevin Byrne (info@savethechildren.or.id)
Note 2
PLAN International
Child-to Child activities with 11 schools in Selayer (2004)
The programme reports effective use of the approach in respect of school hygiene, sanitation and prevention of worms, and food and water-borne diseases.
“With PLAN’s assistance children on the island are addressing the problem of infectious diseases by changing their habits and the behaviour of their peers by using the Child-to-Child approach.
“With the knowledge and skills acquired from their training, children work directly with their school mates and have been influential in changing attitudes towards personal hygiene and cleanliness. Ultimately this improves school performance. PLAN helps to train students from eleven primary schools, all of whom are now avid health promoters.”
Riska, a fifth grade pupil says, “I am very happy to be a School Health Volunteer so that I can help others.”
Date: 2005
Source: Plan International website
Setyo Edi. National Health Specialist Plan Indonesia
Ridwan M. Said Health Point Person Plan Selayar
Note 3
Collegio Amor, Susila Dharma
The approach used with six primary schools in the slums of West Java
The Christian NGO, Collegio Amor, reports successful work in six slum schools in Tambora, Jakarta and plans to extend activities to Kalimantan. These are linked with the international charity Susila Dharma and the Indonesian group IDRN. They report:
“It works with all of the children of appropriate age with the designated schools to teach the basics of nutrition, health and family care and hygiene. It connects the primary school to the local health centre (Posyandu) and trains the children in the practice and dissemination of what they learn within their homes and communities. Child-to-Child features active pedagogy and has developed its own set of learning and teaching tools for promoting healthy living.
Date: 2004
Source: Miriam Ponette (solaimiriam@hotmail.com) or visit http://members.tripod.com/SDIndonesia/hal11.htm
Note 4
Action in Aceh
Save the Children uses materials and approaches
Save the Children U.S. is setting up programmes in Aceh to help the victims of natural disasters there. It plans to use both Child-to-Child materials and approaches as part of its strategy, both to improve physical health and to enhance appropriate skills and attitudes of children affected, by showing them how their participation can help.
Date: 2005
Source: Child-to-Child Trust, London
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