Isna Aulia Fajarini is a national UN Volunteer Nutrition Officer with the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) in Indonesia. She supports the country's cost-effective nutrition programme for school-aged children – vitally needed for nutritional challenges among the youngest demographic in the country. An increase in the consumption of fast food and lack of physical activity has caused a shortfall in health and well-being, or Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) number three. Without improving the nutritional status of school-age children, Indonesia risks losing its economic development momentum.
Isna Aulia Fajarini joined the UNICEF Nutrition Team in June 2021, after getting her master’s degree in public health from Johns Hopkins University. Her knowledge of anaemia, babies with low birth weight and obesity helps her provide substantive support to school-based nutrition programmes for children in Tegal District in Central Java.
The programme targets some 2,000 fourth graders and comprises various elements from student and teacher-led nutrition education to expanding de-worming programmes, and beyond.