Satu Timbangan, Seribu Harapan

Pagi itu, mentari belum sepenuhnya naik ketika Bu Sari sudah tiba di Posyandu Matahari, Kelurahan Kuto Batu. Udara masih dingin, namun peluh telah membasahi pelipisnya. Ia membawa beberapa catatan berat badan anak, pita pengukur lingkar lengan, dan sekeranjang penuh semangat. Seperti biasa, ia tak sendiri. Ada lima orang kader lain yang sama-sama bersiap menjalani satu hari penting: penimbangan bulanan anak dan ibu hamil dalam program Ayo Cegah Stunting Tahap 4.

Sudah bertahun-tahun Bu Sari menjadi kader posyandu. Gajinya tak seberapa. Kadang hanya ucapan terima kasih dan makanan ringan dari warga. Tapi bagi Bu Sari, senyum ibu-ibu dan tawa anak-anak yang sehat adalah bayaran yang tak ternilai.

“Karena kalau bukan kita yang peduli, siapa lagi?” ucapnya sambil menggelar matras untuk bayi.

Hari itu, Kamis, 19 Maret 2025, berbeda. Posyandu Matahari yang biasanya sunyi mulai terlihat ramai sejak pukul tujuh pagi. Ibu-ibu berdatangan sambil menggendong bayi atau menggandeng balita. Ada yang tersenyum malu-malu, ada yang gugup karena ini pertama kalinya mereka datang.

Di tengah kesibukan, muncul sekelompok orang dengan wajah ramah dan semangat yang terasa hangat. Mereka membawa kotak-kotak besar dan tas berwarna cerah, penuh dengan sesuatu yang membuat penasaran. Ya, Rotary Club Palembang hadir untuk berbagi kebahagiaan.

Sebagai bagian dari Ayo Cegah Stunting Tahap 4, Rotary membagikan paket sembako kepada 24 keluarga penerima manfaat serta bingkisan spesial untuk para kader posyandu—ibu-ibu tangguh yang selama ini bekerja dalam diam. Rotary juga membagikan mainan sederhana untuk anak-anak yang sudah ditimbang: boneka kain, mobil-mobilan, buku gambar. Tapi dari tawa anak-anak yang mengisi udara, kita tahu—mainan itu bukan hal kecil.

Bu Sari tertegun saat menerima bingkisan dari salah satu Rotarian. “Untuk kami, Bu? Serius?” tanyanya, matanya berkaca-kaca. “Baru kali ini ada yang mengingat kami para kader.”

Rotarian itu hanya tersenyum dan menjawab, “Tanpa Ibu dan kader lainnya, kami tak bisa melangkah sejauh ini. Ibu adalah jantung dari perubahan.”

Sementara itu, di sudut lain, Bu Ani, ibu hamil muda berusia 22 tahun, tampak haru saat menerima paket sembako. “Saya hanya ingin anak saya lahir sehat. Tapi jujur, beli telur saja sekarang mikir. Terima kasih banyak... bantuan ini berarti sekali,” katanya sambil mengelus perutnya yang mulai membesar.

Di tengah kegembiraan, seorang anak kecil bernama Ilham—usia dua tahun—mendapat hadiah mobil-mobilan setelah ditimbang. Ia memeluk mainan itu erat dan tak henti tertawa. Suara tawanya membaur dengan suara ibu-ibu dan para relawan, menciptakan suasana yang begitu hangat dan manusiawi.

Rotary Club Palembang tidak hanya hadir sebagai pemberi bantuan, tetapi sebagai teman seperjalanan dalam perjuangan. Mereka mendengarkan cerita para ibu, belajar dari kader, dan menyampaikan pesan bahwa perubahan besar dimulai dari hal-hal kecil—dari satu timbangan, satu pelukan, satu bingkisan, satu senyuman.

Ajakan untuk Kita Semua

Masalah stunting bukan hanya persoalan angka, tapi tentang masa depan anak-anak kita. Tentang kesempatan mereka untuk tumbuh sehat, cerdas, dan kuat. Tentang harapan setiap ibu yang ingin melihat anaknya berlari, bermain, dan bersekolah tanpa kekurangan.

Rotary percaya, kebaikan yang dilakukan bersama akan berdampak lebih luas. Dan hari itu di Posyandu Matahari, kami melihat bukti nyata: satu komunitas bisa bangkit, ketika kita saling menggandeng tangan.

Mari bersama Rotary,kita cegah stunting,kita bangun masa depan.Karena setiap anak berhak tumbuh dengan bahagia.Dan setiap ibu pantas didukung dalam perjuangannya.

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One Weigh-In, A Thousand Hopes

That morning, the sun had barely risen when Bu Sari arrived at Posyandu Matahari, a local community health post in Kuto Batu, Palembang. The air was still cool, but sweat already dotted her forehead. She carried her growth charts, a mid-upper arm circumference tape, and a basket full of quiet determination. As always, she wasn’t alone—five other volunteers had gathered to prepare for a meaningful day: the monthly weighing of children and pregnant mothers as part of the “Let’s Prevent Stunting – Phase 4” program.

Bu Sari had been a Posyandu (health post) volunteer for years. Her work rarely came with recognition or pay. Sometimes, all she got was a smile or a cup of tea. But to her, the grateful faces of mothers and the laughter of healthy children were more than enough.

“If we don’t care, who will?” she often said as she gently placed babies on the weighing scale.

But that Thursday, March 19th, 2025, was different.

Posyandu Matahari, usually calm and quiet, began to buzz early in the morning. Mothers arrived carrying their babies or holding toddlers by the hand. Some smiled shyly, others looked nervous—it was the first time for a few of them.

In the middle of the bustle, a group of warm-hearted people arrived, their faces filled with kindness and energy. They brought large boxes and colorful bags, their presence instantly brightening the atmosphere. Yes, Rotary Club of Palembang had come—to share joy and support.

As part of Let’s Prevent Stunting – Phase 4, Rotary Club Palembang distributed grocery packages to 24 beneficiary families and handed out special appreciation gifts to the Posyandu volunteers—the unsung heroes like Bu Sari who worked tirelessly behind the scenes. Rotary also brought toys for the children who had completed their weighing—soft dolls, toy cars, coloring books. They were simple gifts, but the children’s wide grins said it all.

Bu Sari was surprised when one of the Rotarians handed her a package.“For us? Really?” she asked, eyes glistening. “No one has ever remembered the volunteers like this.”

The Rotarian smiled and replied,“Without you and the others, none of this would be possible. You are the heart of this community.”

In another corner, Bu Ani—a young mother-to-be—held her grocery package tightly.“I just want my baby to be born healthy,” she said. “But honestly, buying eggs alone is a struggle. This means so much. Thank you.”

A little boy named Ilham, two years old, received a small toy car after his weigh-in. He hugged it tightly and giggled nonstop. His laughter echoed through the health post, mixing with the sounds of mothers and volunteers, filling the air with warmth and life.

Rotary Club Palembang didn’t just come to give—they came to listen, to understand, to walk alongside. They brought not only supplies, but solidarity, compassion, and a belief in community-driven change.

Because real change begins with small things—a single weigh-in, a gentle gesture, a toy shared, and a heart that truly cares.

A Call to All of Us

Stunting isn’t just about numbers. It’s about the future of our children—their right to grow healthy, to play freely, and to learn fully. It’s about every mother’s dream of seeing her child thrive.

Rotary believes that when we do good together, the impact multiplies.And that morning at Posyandu Matahari, we saw the proof:A community can rise—when people support one another.

Let’s act together with Rotary.Let’s prevent stunting,build brighter futures,and share joy—one family at a time.

Because every child deserves a chance.And every mother deserves support on her journey.