Stories

The midday sun blazes over a schoolyard in Aceh. Dust swirls beneath the feet of students sprinting across the yard, their laughter rising together. One student kneels quietly near the school’s well, focused on a bucket of cloudy, brown water. Her name is Jamalidiana, known to her friends as Diana, and she is turning heads. With a simple filter…

Muhammad Fariz Wadji  was in his early years as a social worker when a case left an unforgettable mark — a father who had abused his own daughter was released without facing any charges. For Fariz, it was a painful reminder that violence against children often hides behind family walls.  According to data from the Ministry of Women Empowerment and…

Every day, Susi hops on her motorcycle and winds through the narrow roadways of Margamulya village – a remote, hard-to-reach community tucked between dense jungle and steep hills in Garut West Java. Her purpose is always the same: to immunize as many children as possible. Susi began her work as a midwife in the village over a decade ago. From the…

At 23,, Shafa Syahrani, seems like many young Indonesians –bright, curious and full of dreams. She grew up in Makassar and studied Food and Nutrition at Universitas Negeri Makassar. Shafa was always fascinated by how food shapes health, but the more she learned, the more troubled she became.  “As a child, I never really knew which foods were healthy,” Shafa recalls, “We…, UNICEF and Novo Nordisk, to help prevent the rising burden from childhood obesity’. “I knew that if this campaign was backed by UNICEF, we could reach the right people,” Shafa says. “We could make real change!”  Together with two other young leaders,, Bian, (age 20, from Sukabumi) and, Vanessa, (age 24, from Papua), Shafa became part of the Core Research Team for Fix My Food Indonesia . Their mission was to uncover how unhealthy food is marketed to children and what can be done to stop it.  It wasn’t an easy task. “We didn’t have a guidebook,” Shafa explains. “We had to figure out how to recruit volunteers, gather stories and analyze…, A Youth-Led Investigation,   Shafa and the team designed a creative way to document young people’s food reality. They launched a nationwide “Food Scavenger Hunt”, inviting young people ages 14-24 to share photos and stories about what they saw, ate and were influenced to buy every day.   A total of 223 young Indonesians participated. Using their phones, they captured the…, Research Leads to Advocacy , With support from the East Asia and Pacific Regional Office and UNICEF Indonesia’s Country Office, the young researchers turned their findings into advocacy. Every week, UNICEF mentors provided guidance to overcome challenges, boost their spirit and celebrate wins. Then came the big moment.   On July 10, 2025, Shafa stood before representatives…, Dr. Siti Nadia Tarmizi, Director of Non-Communicable Diseases at Indonesia’s Ministry of Health, echoed her call, emphasizing the urgency to protect children and adolescents from unhealthy food marketing, such as “buy one, get one free” deals.  She acknowledged that children are highly vulnerable to persuasive marketing strategies and stressed the need for government, civil society and private sector to work together to make healthier food…, The Road Ahead , For Shafa, this is just the beginning. The momentum is building. With continued youth engagement, cross-sectoral collaboration and partnerships with government, civil society and the private sector, she is convinced that creating healthier food environments is possible.   “It breaks my heart that something so basic, what we eat, can decide whether…

High in the lush mountains of Mount Latimojong, Enrekang, South Sulawesi, Fatimah learned about nutrition the hard way—through her first child’s struggle to grow. “There was a time when my child’s weight didn’t increase at all,” she recalls. “The healthcare workers said her weight and height didn’t match her age. That’s when I realized there was a…

“We’re girls—so why choose technology?” Nikmah’s friend asked with curiosity in her voice. She was surprised by Nikmah’s decision to pursue the technology theme instead of more traditional options, such as food and beverage or tailoring. Her friend’s question didn’t discourage Nikmah. Instead, it lit a fire within her: “I felt ignited. Even though…, Peluk Kamu, (or Hugging You). “It [the app] is a solution to help other adolescents like me find a safe space to share stories, to vent about issues they are facing,” explained Nikmah. The app also features tools to help users access professional counseling and learn more about mental health. Nikmah’s success didn’t happen overnight. It was nurtured by her…

Every morning, Wulan asks herself: “Who can I help today?” As a Malaria Officer at the Hingk District Community Health Centre in Arfak Mountains, West Papua, her mission is clear – to treat those suffering from the disease and to help eliminate malaria once and for all. Wulan has been on the frontlines of this work for a decade. When she first…, eliminating malaria nationwide by 2030., With UNICEF’s support, 15 of 75 malaria-endemic districts achieved elimination status by mid-2025, including two in Tanah Papua—South Sorong and Maybrat Districts in Southwest Papua Province. Nationally, 407 out of 514 endemic districts have now achieved malaria elimination status – a testament to the dedication of health workers, government-led…

At 17, Nana is no ordinary teenager. Two years ago, she made a bold choice — rejecting not one, but two marriage proposals. It was a daunting decision that Nana wept over, consumed by fear about what her future might hold. Yet, she summoned the courage to say no. “I let my parents know that I still wanted to enjoy my youth. I still wanted to play…

There is a children’s song in Indonesia called Gundul-Gundul Pacul. Its lyrics teach the virtues of humility and the perils of arrogance. On a day in October, in an elementary school in Brebes, Central Java province, this song also became a powerful hymn in the fight against cervical cancer. In that moment, the danger wasn’t arrogance in life, but…, In Bahasa Indonesia: ,   Itu kanker serviks-viks  Buat ngeri  Itu kanker serviks-viks  Buat ngeri  Sudah banyak bunuh para perempuan  Jangan sampai ada lagi jadi korban    Cegah kanker serviks-viks  Itu mudah  Cegah kanker serviks-viks  Itu mudah  Suntik gratis kita dapat dua dosis  Duduk manis semuanya dapat gratis   , English translation: ,   That’s cervical cancer  Is so scary.  That’s cervical cancer  Is so scary.  It’s already taken too many women.  Let’s make sure there are no more victims.  Preventing cervical cancer  Is so easy.  Preventing cervical cancer  Is so easy.  Two free doses, that’s all it takes.  Sit back, and everyone gets one.    The students began singing with…, That's cervical cancer, it’s so scary, In Indonesia, prevention efforts against cervical cancer have accelerated: in 2024, the national HPV vaccination coverage reached an impressive 89.6% for the first dose and 88.9% for the second, according to data from Indonesia’s Ministry of Health. However, despite cervical cancer being one of the most prevalent cancers among women in the country…, Preventing cervical cancer is so easy , Ara’s commitment to health is deeply rooted. “My family has a health background—my father is a nutritionist, and my mother is a nurse. So actually, I have known about HPV for a long time,” she says. Her commitment, however, turned into active engagement after attending an Interpersonal Communication (IPC) training on the HPV vaccine, organized by…, Let’s make sure there are no more victims. ,  Trainings like Ara’s don’t just foster understanding of the HPV vaccine, they give young people the tools to speak up, clear doubts, and make a difference in their communities. The training deepened Ara's resolve to be more active in advocating for children's right to health, especially among children in remote or rural areas.   Another key issue…

As a long day draws to a close in Klaten in Central Java province, Ofik sits on the steps of her home, a serene expression on her face. “Knowing that I can help people get what they need makes me happy. It’s spiritually rewarding—doing good for others,” she reflects. For 14 years, Ofik has been a devoted social worker supporting children and their…

In Indonesia, where nearly 80 per cent of the population has access to the Internet, young people spend an average of 5.4 hours online daily. These hours are filled with the excitement of exploring limitless opportunities in the digital world. But serious threats also lurk in these spaces, including the alarming risks of online sexual exploitation…

As the first light of dawn creeps into her home, Titis, nine months pregnant with her second child, is already busy with her sewing. A native of Kediri district in East Java, Titis fills her days with activities, despite being less mobile.  Early in the pregnancy, during a visit to the puskesmas (primary health centre), Titis discovered that her…, >> Discover other inspiring stories and more parenting tips