Empowering Nambo Village through physiotherapy intervention and the establishment of the Sahabat Tumbuh Kembang community

Zahra Sativani (Applied Physiotherapy Undergraduate Program, Department of Physiotherapy, Politeknik Kesehatan Kemenkes Jakarta III)
Yusuf Nasirudin (Physiotherapy Profession Program, Department of Physiotherapy, Politeknik Kesehatan Kemenkes Jakarta III)
Ari Sudarsono (Physiotherapy Profession Program, Department of Physiotherapy, Politeknik Kesehatan Kemenkes Jakarta III)
Ahmad Syakib (Physiotherapy Profession Program, Department of Physiotherapy, Politeknik Kesehatan Kemenkes Jakarta III)
Nur Achirda (Physiotherapy Profession Program, Department of Physiotherapy, Politeknik Kesehatan Kemenkes Jakarta III)
Nina Mustikasari (Applied Physiotherapy Undergraduate Program, Department of Physiotherapy, Politeknik Kesehatan Kemenkes Jakarta III)
Renata Amelia Putri (Applied Physiotherapy Undergraduate Program, Department of Physiotherapy, Politeknik Kesehatan Kemenkes Jakarta III)
Mohammad Ramadhan (Applied Physiotherapy Undergraduate Program, Department of Physiotherapy, Politeknik Kesehatan Kemenkes Jakarta III)

Abdimas: Jurnal Pengabdian Masyarakat Universitas Merdeka Malang
Vol. 11 No. 1 (2026): February 2026

Infant and toddler health remains one of the crucial indicators of public health. However, Nambo Village faced challenges due to parents' limited literacy regarding developmental delays and cadres' inadequate skills in early detection and pediatric stimulation. To address the issues, a community-based physiotherapy intervention was implemented started from June to October 2025. The program aimed to empower parents and optimize cadres' capacities through the establishment of the Sahabat Tumbuh Kembang (Child Development Companionship) community. The methodology included situational analysis, socialization, implementation, and evaluation, resulting a significant improvement in understanding developmental red flags, confirmed by an increase in average scores from 7.5 (pre-test) to 9.3 (post-test). Furthermore, the knowledge was practically applied through independent early screening targeted to five cadres and one village midwife on 30 toddlers. To ensure program sustainability, the Sahabat Tumbuh Kembang community was officially formed with six driving agents. This group currently synergizes with the local Bina Keluarga Balita (Early Childhood Family Development) program to conduct monthly basic motor development monitoring, effectively realizing independent community empowerment for a healthier generation.