MANILA, PHILIPPINES - 14 July 2025 - At the recent Asia-Pacific Regional Network for Early Childhood (ARNEC) Regional Conference 2025, Tanoto Foundation, an independent philanthropic organization that catalyzes systems change in education and healthcare, presented its successful community-driven early childhood parenting models from Indonesia and China.

The two initiatives, Rumah Anak SIGAP from Indonesia and the HOPE (Harnessing Opportunity through Parenting and Education) program from China, showcased proven methods for boosting child development in rural and underserved communities.

These initiatives address the critical 0–3 age window, a golden period in a child's life marked by rapid brain development that reaches up to 80 percent of an adult's brain size. A study by the Center on the Developing Child at Harvard University highlights that brain cell development during early childhood can reach up to 90 percent, laying the foundation for cognitive, language, motor, sensory, and emotional responses.

This period is especially challenging in many parts of Asia. A 2023 study by the Australian Council for Educational Research (ACER) revealed that 57 percent of children aged 0-3 in parts of Indonesia are at risk of not reaching their full developmental potential. The study also found that 26 percent of children live in low-quality caregiving environments. In China, a similar concern is the high rate of developmental delays among children aged 0-3 in rural areas, where more than 80 percent fail to meet at least one developmental indicator, according to a 2019 article in the Journal of Comparative Economics.

Impact in Indonesia: The Rumah Anak SIGAP Initiative

Tanoto Foundation's Rumah Anak SIGAP program in Indonesia has demonstrated significant positive results. An impact evaluation showed that children in rural areas with initial developmental delays who received stimulation through the program recorded an average developmental score increase of 1.06 points, compared to a 0.53-point increase for urban children. By 2024, the program had reached over 3,000 children and parents through 29 service centers across five provinces: Banten, Central Java, East Kalimantan, Jakarta, and Riau.

The program's success lies in empowering community cadres as agents of change, fostering the local ownership essential for sustainability. Ancilla Irwan, Education Development Lead, explained that this deep community and government collaboration transforms the program into "a vital part of an integrated caregiving ecosystem." The strength of this model was underscored when the Mayor of Semarang, Agustina Wilujeng Pramestuti, presented her city's initiative-which integrates a Rumah Anak SIGAP center with a stunting prevention center-at the same ARNEC conference.

"Out of 64 parents interviewed, 59 reported positive changes, such as improved breastfeeding practices, more nutritious feeding, and deeper engagement with their children. The most significant change happens at home, when parents begin to interact with their children consistently and attentively," said Radi Negara, Impact Evaluation Lead at Tanoto Foundation.

Scaling Success in China: The HOPE Program

Mirroring this success, the HOPE program in China has effectively scaled its community-driven model to address developmental gaps. The program has successfully trained 330 facilitators and established 138 centers across five provinces: Beijing, Guizhou, Jiangsu, Jiangxi, and Shandong serving over 16,000 children aged 0–3 and their families in rural areas.

Wu Wei, Country Head of Tanoto Foundation China, explains that "Investing in Early Childhood Development (ECD) promotes social equity, breaks intergenerational poverty, and strengthens the human capital essential for China's long-term sustainable development."

As a Core Team member of ARNEC, Tanoto Foundation is committed to the network's goal of advancing ECD by fostering strong partnerships, sharing knowledge, and advocating for children's rights. This collaborative spirit was captured in the conference's closing session by Eddy Henry, Head of Policy and Advocacy at Tanoto Foundation:

"This conference exemplifies how collaboration can drive knowledge mobilization, amplify voices, and advance the ECD agenda across the Asia-Pacific region. I hope every organization participating will now bring home and implement these best practices locally, helping influence policy changes to ensure every child has access to inclusive, equitable, and high-quality early childhood development."

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