Jayapura, Jubi – The Papua Breastfeeding Awareness Community (PAPEDA) held a maternal and child health education session for residents of Pyawi Village, Mannem District, Keerom Regency, Papua Province, on Saturday, October 31, 2026.
Through the programme, PAPEDA encouraged families to share childcare responsibilities, support breastfeeding from the earliest stages of a child’s life and make use of local food to improve family health.
The activity was part of PAPEDA’s efforts to reach Indigenous communities in Keerom through education on the importance of breastfeeding, family support for mothers after childbirth, and the use of local food to meet family nutritional needs.
“The selection of Pyawi Village as the location for this activity was based on a recommendation from Ross Muyasin, chair of the Keerom Women’s Association,” PAPEDA said in an electronic message on Sunday, November 1, 2026.
Through the programme, PAPEDA aimed to provide education relevant to the community’s daily lives while encouraging both mothers and fathers to take part in supporting children’s health and development.
Ema Kristiana, who delivered the first session titled “Papuan Children Must Be Smart and Healthy”, emphasised that caring for and raising children was not solely a mother’s responsibility but a shared responsibility between both parents.
“When two people make a child, two people should raise that child,” was one of the key messages Ema delivered.
The message encouraged fathers to take an active role in childcare and support mothers from the postpartum period through breastfeeding.
She said family support could begin with simple actions, such as helping with household chores, sharing childcare duties, and listening without judgement when their wives expressed concerns or faced difficulties.
According to Ema, such involvement was important to ensure mothers felt physically and emotionally supported, particularly while recovering from childbirth and breastfeeding.
She explained that colostrum is generally yellowish in colour and contains antibodies and other protective components that help babies fight the risk of infection.
Because of these early protective benefits, colostrum is often described as a baby’s first immunisation. The term refers to the protection colostrum provides in the early stages of life and does not mean it replaces vaccinations administered according to the recommended immunisation schedule.
“Colostrum should not be discarded because it is highly beneficial for babies. Breastfeeding from the beginning of life is one of the most precious gifts a mother can give her newborn,” she said.
Ema said mothers should therefore receive support to begin breastfeeding as soon as possible after giving birth, depending on the condition of both mother and baby, and be given assistance if they experience difficulties breastfeeding.
She emphasised that family support was essential to ensure mothers did not have to go through the process alone.
Sanya Andalusiana, who delivered the second session, presented a topic titled “Nutritious Eating: Local Food for Healthy Families”.
During the session, participants were encouraged to recognise the nutritional value of local foods, including papeda, fish and various types of vegetables in meeting their families’ nutritional needs.
The session encouraged community members to make use of locally available ingredients and prepare them in a variety of ways.
Using local food was presented as one way to help meet family nutritional needs, including those of breastfeeding mothers.
The activity included presentations and discussions with community members. Mothers and fathers who attended actively participated by asking questions and sharing their experiences.
The discussion provided an opportunity to strengthen understanding that maternal and child health requires the attention and involvement of the entire family.
A total of 75 participants were recorded on the attendance list. In addition to those registered, other family members and community residents also attended without signing the register.
The total number of people at the venue was estimated at around 100 or more, although this figure has not been verified through participant registration.
Through the activity in Pyawi Village, PAPEDA hopes more families will understand that successful breastfeeding is not solely the mother’s responsibility.
The involvement of fathers, shared childcare responsibilities, emotional support and attention to family nutritional needs are all important in creating an environment that supports maternal health and children’s growth and development.
PAPEDA plans to extend similar educational activities to other villages across Papua. The location of the next activity is still being planned.
Through its slogan, “ASI Bisa, Ko Bisa, Papua Bisa!” (Breastfeeding Is Possible, You Can Do It, Papua Can Do It!) PAPEDA encourages families and communities to support breastfeeding mothers, protect children’s right to receive breast milk, and help build a healthy Papuan generation.
Papua Peduli ASI (PAPEDA) is a volunteer community working to provide breastfeeding education and support to communities across Papua.
PAPEDA seeks to improve public understanding of the importance of breast milk, family support, maternal and child health, and the use of local food to promote healthier families. Its tagline is: “ASI Bisa, Ko Bisa, Papua Bisa!” (Breastfeeding Is Possible, You Can Do It, Papua Can Do It). (*)
