National Nutrition Agency (BGN) is taking steps to recruit workers for the Nutritional Fulfillment Service Units (SPPG) from individuals living in extreme and general poverty, specifically those in deciles 1 and 2. This initiative is part of a larger effort to boost local employment opportunities. Redy Hendra Gunawan, Special Staff to the National Nutrition Agency, disclosed that at least 30% of the 47 personnel in each SPPG will be selected from underprivileged households. The move aligns with the President’s directive to ensure that the Free Nutritious Meals (MBG) Program contributes to job creation, especially for families in the lowest economic deciles.
Currently, there are 2,378 SPPG units established in collaboration with 6,076 local economic institutions as suppliers, which include cooperatives, village-owned enterprises, and micro, small, and medium enterprises. As of now, 93,572 local community members are actively involved as volunteers in the SPPG program. The MBG Program has benefited a total of 7,444,238 individuals nationwide, with different categories of beneficiaries such as early childhood education, elementary, junior high, and senior high school students, as well as pregnant women, breastfeeding mothers, toddlers, and more.
In a bid to accelerate the program, BGN plans to launch an additional 2,401 SPPG units in the next 10 days, increasing the total operational units to 4,788. This expansion is expected to cater to approximately 15 million beneficiaries across the country. These efforts reflect BGN’s commitment to not only providing nutritional support but also creating employment opportunities and uplifting communities in need.