JP\/5\/HEN<\/p>\n
Bantul hen campaign aims to produce healthier, smarter children<\/p>\n
Slamet Susanto
\nThe Jakarta Post\/Bantul<\/p>\n
As proud parents beamed on as their children received their
\nreport cards on Saturday, noisy hens clucked their approval.<\/p>\n
During the event at the elementary school near Samas beach in
\nBantul, Yogyakarta province, students lined up to receive their
\nreport cards while their parents were each given three hens.<\/p>\n
Parents get the hens on one condition: they must raise and
\nbreed them so they produce eggs and more chicks, to help the
\nparents make money and to help supply the children with needed
\nnutrients.<\/p>\n
The school function was interrupted briefly when a hen managed
\nto slip the grasp of a parent. The hen made a run for it, with
\nparents, students and teachers right on her tail.<\/p>\n
"Gotcha. Poor hen, never went to school," Sukamto, the father
\nof student Jales Bahari, grumbled after catching the hen.<\/p>\n
"Once they are given to the students, the hens and eggs are
\nnot allowed to be sold. The eggs are for the students to eat to
\nincrease their protein intake," said Suratsih, one of the
\nschool's teachers.<\/p>\n
The hen campaign was initiated by Bantul Regent Idham Samawi.
\nThe regent said giving hens to parents could help put an end to
\nmalnutrition in Bantul.<\/p>\n
Young children need sufficient protein in order to develop, he
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
"People in the country only get nutrients from vegetables,
\nrarely getting to eat meat and other animal products like eggs,"
\nsaid Idham.<\/p>\n
The campaign is also meant to make the children more
\nresponsible and to teach them how to be entrepreneurs.<\/p>\n
"They are given three hens and told that they are responsible
\nfor taking care of the hens and breeding them. This can teach the
\nchildren invaluable life lessons," said Idham.<\/p>\n
The campaign reached 91,000 elementary school students
\nthroughout Bantul last year. "The programs will continue. This
\nyear, we will hand out hens to 15,000 elementary school
\nstudents," said Idham. Each hen costs the Bantul government Rp
\n20,000 (US$2).<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/jp5hen-1447899208",
"image": ""
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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