in Indonesia and communities around the world ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌







Dear friend,

"It’s important for women to be smart and gain knowledge, so that we can share our knowledge with our children," says Agustina, a Mercy Corps-trained health leader, preschool teacher, and coffee farmer.

It’s the reason she volunteered as a health leader in her small village in Indonesia. She supports 35 pregnant women and mothers by sharing information about hygiene, immunizations, nutrition, and other ways to help keep newborns and young children healthy.

As Mother’s Day approaches this Sunday, we’re taking a moment to celebrate incredible women like Agustina, who make a difference in the lives of children and families around the world.
Agustina holds her neighbor’s 7-month-old daughter. "In my heart, I feel happy because I can share the knowledge little by little with the community," she says about her work.
Child stunting is a major issue in Agustina’s village, but she says she’s seen improvement since the health volunteer program began.

One of the pregnant women who Agustina supports, Lasmaida, says she is grateful for the knowledge she has gained from the program. She says Agustina taught her more about nutritious cooking and eating healthy for pregnancy.

"Her presence is good because she helps expecting mothers, like me. She provides good solutions, the best solutions," Lasmaida says of Agustina’s visits.
Agustina (right) gives advice to Lasmaida, who is pregnant with her second child. Like many women in her village, Lasmaida has limited access to health care and resources.
Mercy Corps has been working in Indonesia since 1999. Through emergency and long-term support, we are helping people prepare for and recover from natural disasters, while also working to improve economic opportunities for smallholder farmers.

The health volunteer program is part of a broader effort by Mercy Corps to support the health and economic resilience of women in North Sumatra. Learn more about how we’re supporting communities and our impact in Indonesia.
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As we celebrate Mother’s Day, let us appreciate the many women — in our own lives and around the world — who are working to create a better future for themselves, their families, and their communities.

Sincerely,

The Mercy Corps team