Women religious congregation as driving force behind alleviation of urban poor nutrition

Abstract

This article discusses the social role of urban women active in religious studies in improving community nutrition in Cisaranten Kidul Village, Gedebage Sub-District, Bandung City, Indonesia. Using a qualitative method, this study looked into the social networks that incorporate women groups and the values they prescribe to deal with the community’s lack of nutrition through data collection, field observation, in-depth interviews, focus group discussion, and document assessment. The women group’s social role was producing and distributing nutritious food to the local families with under-nutrition toddlers. The selection of 17 informants for the interviews was based on their involvement and knowledge of the program. The research found that Islamic teachings on treating neighbors are the driving force behind the initiative to act on the problem, bringing the number of baby stunting cases from 22 in 2013 down to zero in 2016. The program was continued in healthy food production, aiming to build the women groups’ self-reliance in funding the program, turning into a small-scale business. After 2019, children’s malnutrition remained part of the village life until this paper was written. This psycho-socio-religious study shows that faith-based action requires social infrastructures to contribute to society-based development.