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Indonesia: an OverviewNews and Project UpdatesIndonesia is the world's largest archipelago consisting of around 18,000 islands. It is situated in South East Asia between the Indian and Pacific Ocean and includes such well known islands as Java, Sumatra, Bali, Komodo, Kalimantan and Timur.
Indonesia is the world's fourth most populous nation in the world after China, India and the United States. It has an estimated population of 231.8 million (The Economist Factsheet, 2007).
As more and more people from rural areas move into urban areas, huge
strains are put upon housing, water supplies, health care, education and
employment. Despite improvements over the last ten years, challenges remain in reducing child malnutrition and improving maternal health. Nearly 28% of all Indonesian children under five years old suffer from malnutrition (Source: SUSENAS - National Socio-economic survey, Ministry of Health 2002) and in May 2006,the Ministry of Health stated that 21% of children in the capital city of Jakarta were malnourished. Maternal mortality is still high at 307 per 100,000. Immunization has shown improvement from the 1990s, with 72 per cent of children 12-23 months old immunized against measles. However, coverage varies widely and outbreaks of measles are not uncommon. Polio cases have re-emerged in 2005, for the first time since 1996, with 295 reported cases in the first nine months alone. Malaria affects up to 20 percent of the population, especially in Eastern Indonesia. Only 10 percent of 30 million annual malaria cases are treated in health facilities.(UNICEF 2007) The percentage of underweight children in any country goes hand in hand with the prevailing economic crisis. A lack of disposable income in the family, leads to a decrease in the affordability of foods (mainly foods of animal origin and industrially produced fortified foods) leading to an increase in the number of undernourished children with all the attendant problems. Volunteering opportunitiesIf you are currently living in Jakarta and wish to do something positive with your time, do think about volunteering with us. We are always grateful for people with the following skills:
If you think you may be interested, please Contact Us
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Natural
disasters such as earthquakes and tsunami frequently affect Indonesia.
Aceh, situated on the northern tip of the island of Sumatra, was one of
the worst affected regions in the world to suffer the devastating effects
of the tsunami in December 2004. Around 200,000 Indonesians were left
dead or missing and hundreds of thousands of people were left homeless.
There have been many more severe earthquakes in Indonesia since 2004.
Micronutrient
deficiencies, including iodine, vitamin A and iron are prevalent. A lack
of these micronutrients can lead to stunted growth, anaemia, night blindness,
and a reduction of intellectual and physical capabilities in children
making them much less likely to achieve their full potential, more susceptible
to illness and death.