10,000 children undernourished<\/p>\n
PURWOKERTO, Central Java: There are some 10,000 undernourished
\nelementary school children in 73 poor villages in Banyumas
\nregency, an official here said on Thursday.<\/p>\n
Toto Ismanto, a staffer at the Banyumas administration office,
\nsaid the undernourished children were recorded from 150 schools
\nand they had suffered since the economic crisis worsened a few
\nmonths ago.<\/p>\n
The regency has 329 regencies.<\/p>\n
"Now the situation is really heart-wrenching," he told The
\nJakarta Post.<\/p>\n
He gave an example of how over 500 children in Jatilawang
\nsubdistrict had resorted to eating cassava mixed with rice.<\/p>\n
Banyumas regent Aris Setiono confirmed the worsening
\nsituation.<\/p>\n
"Actually, it's not only elementary school children who are
\nundernourished, but also many under-fives and adults," he said.<\/p>\n
Wachid, a regency spokesman, said the administration and
\nseveral private donors had rallied to help the children.<\/p>\n
In cooperation with the local office of the education
\nministry, he said the administration gave children meals three
\ntimes a week.<\/p>\n
Noer Sigit, an official at the regency's village development
\nagency, said that since August 1997 the number of poor people in
\nthe regency had risen from 144,000 to 425,000. (45)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/10000-children-undernourished-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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