SOCIAL CAPITAL MOBILIZATION IN STUNTING PREVENTION: TRANSFORMING MARGINALIZED COMMUNITIES FROM RECIPIENTS TO AGENTS OF CHANGE IN INDONESIAN COASTAL AREAS

Abstract

Stunting remains a major public health concern in Indonesia's coastal communities, where marginalized populations often lack access to effective interventions. This study aimed to develop and assess the effectiveness of the SAKTI (Sapa, Ajak, Kreativitas, Terstruktur, Inovasi) educational model for stunting prevention through social capital mobilization. Conducted over 12 months in Bori Appaka, a coastal village in Pangkep Regency, this mixed-methods Research and Development (R&D) study integrated Borg & Gall and Four-D models. Eighty participants were purposively sampled from three groups: prospective brides/grooms (ages 18–21), postpartum mothers (26–35), and families with toddlers. The intervention involved trust-building, participation encouragement, culturally-relevant module development, structured implementation, and local wisdom integration. Data were collected via surveys, interviews, and focus group discussions, and analyzed using both percentage analysis and thematic coding. Community participation rose from 23% to 85%, and social cohesion improved from 3.2 to 4.4 on a 5-point scale. The prospective bride/groom group exhibited the highest behavioral change (30.54%). Findings suggest that culturally grounded, participatory models such as SAKTI are effective in transforming passive beneficiaries into active health advocates, especially in resource-limited settings.