Economic Empowerment Research Articles

Doubling the Graduation Rate for Black Men: The Fortified Classroom

Increasing the collegiate success rates of men of color is an important goal, as it provides for the economic empowerment of this population and supports social justice and equity. While some interventions have been found to be impactful for men of color, the current study was designed to assess the bicultural education model and an innovative program called the fortified classroom. The bicultural education model suggests that students of color simultaneously commit to both Black and mainstream cultures and step in and out of the repertoires of both. The fortified classroom is an immersive first-year experience that includes academic support that is built into the classrooms. Results suggest that supporting students through this program has a significant positive impact on course completion, term-to-term retention, and graduation rates.

Exploring the Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practise of Healthy Eating Among Lactating Mothers in a Poor Rural Setting in North‐Western Ghana

ABSTRACTIntroductionRecognised as one of the most effective ways to guarantee positive maternal and child health outcomes, optimal nutrition for lactating mothers has received significant attention and investment both globally and locally. Despite this recognition, studies on maternal and child nutrition in Ghana have revealed that adherence to prescribed healthy eating regimens among lactating mothers in deprived settings has not received adequate scholarly attention. Thus, this study explores lactating mothers knowledge, attitudes, and practices regarding healthy eating to better understand the barriers to optimal nutritional outcomes for mothers and children, especially when chronic poverty is widespread.MethodsThis was a case study to explore the knowledge, attitudes, and practise of healthy eating among lactating mothers in the Wa West District. Convenience and purposive sampling procedures were followed to select lactating mothers and healthcare providers, respectively. Semi‐structured interviews were used to collect the data. The data were analysed using Anderson's behavioural model. The model offers a comprehensive analysis of factors—predisposition, enabling factors, and need for care—potentially influencing lactating mothers' knowledge, attitudes, and practise of healthy eating.ResultsThe findings show that while lactating mothers in the district were aware of the importance of optimal nutrition for their health and wellbeing; food insecurity and pervasive poverty limit their opportunities to adhere to a balanced eating regimen.ConclusionAn integrated development approach is needed to expand and sustain awareness of the importance of optimal nutrition for maternal and child health, improve local food production, and promote household economic empowerment.

Correcting near vision impairment and women’s empowerment: a before-after mixed-methods study among older Zanzibari craftswomen

ObjectiveTo understand if presbyopia correction could empower older craftswomen entrepreneurs living in Zanzibar.DesignMixed-method, before-after intervention study.SettingUnguja and Pemba islands, Zanzibar.Participants209 craftswomen (weaving, tailoring and sewing, pottery and producing oil and...

PASAR TENAGA KERJA INKLUSIF DAN PEKERJAAN AFIRMATIF UNTUK PENYANDANG DISABILITAS

<p class="abstrak"><em>An inclusive labour market emphasizes equal opportunities and fair treatment for all individuals, including persons with disabilities, with the aim of optimizing the potential of the workforce, increasing innovation, productivity, and economic growth. In Indonesia, inclusive policies have been implemented through various laws and regulations that support the rights of persons with disabilities to obtain decent work. Nonetheless, challenges in the form of discrimination and lack of supporting infrastructure are still significant. Disabled people's organizations (DPOs) play an important role in economic empowerment through skills training and entrepreneurship. This training covers areas such as screen printing, electronics, computers and weaving, as well as social assistance for small businesses. The types of jobs available to people with disabilities include operators, customer service, telemarketing, teachers, and administration. Awareness and effective policies are needed to create a truly inclusive workplace in Indonesia. With sustained commitment from all parties, Indonesia can respect and protect the rights of persons with disabilities, ensure equal and fair access to employment opportunities, and harness their full potential for nation-building.</em></p>

Mapping microfinance research to sustainable development goals: Insights from Scientometrics and BERTopic analysis

AbstractMicrofinance research plays a pivotal role in addressing global development challenges, yet comprehensive assessments of its alignment with sustainable development goals (SDGs) remain scarce. This study fills this gap by systematically mapping the landscape of microfinance literature to its corresponding SDG contributions. Leveraging data from Scopus and SCIval, we analyzed 1004 microfinance articles spanning between 2014 and 2023. Our findings reveal a substantial body of research focused on poverty alleviation (SDG 1) and economic empowerment (SDG 8), with notable attention to gender equality (SDG 5) and reduced inequalities (SDG 10). Key thematic clusters include the performance and impact of microfinance institutions (MFIs), microinsurance innovations, and Islamic microfinance. Notably, top‐cited articles underscored the sector's commitment to poverty alleviation and economic growth, with a nuanced exploration of gender dynamics and rural household impacts. Furthermore, our BERTopic analysis unveils the multidimensional nature of microfinance research, highlighting prevalent themes such as MFI performance and rural household impact. Geographically, research efforts are concentrated in the United States, India, and France, reflecting a global commitment to SDG‐aligned microfinance interventions. The paper's theoretical contributions lie in its framework development, interdisciplinary engagement, nuanced understanding of microfinance themes, global perspective, and methodological advancements, all of which enhance the scholarly discourse on microfinance's role in achieving SDGs.

Comparative Analysis Between Sharia Pawnshops and Conventional Pawnshops in The Economic Empowerment of Indonesian Communities

Sharia Pawnshops and Conventional Pawnshops are two financial entities that play an important role in strengthening the empowerment of Indonesian society. For years, they have been offering credit services with the aim of improving people's financial situations. However, the two institutions operate using different principles and methodologies. The aim of this scientific work is to analyze and then determine which one is more empowering to the community, between conventional pawnshops and sharia pawnshops. This research is included in qualitative research, with data sources containing all material that can be used as a guideline for research emphasis, namely the comparison between sharia pawnshops and conventional pawnshops in empowering Indonesian society. Sharia pawnshops play a bigger and more effective role in empowering the community, especially by providing financial products based on Islamic sharia principles. Sharia pawnshops prohibit all types of interest and focus on contract terms, honesty and security required in buying and selling transactions based on Islamic law.

Empowering Rural Women through Nutrition Education: Enhancing Dietary Quality with Mushroom-enriched Foods and Participation in Local Mushroom Production Systems

Ensuring quality nutrition for rural women remains a critical public health challenge, particularly in regions where dietary diversity is limited, and micronutrient deficiencies are prevalent. One potential solution is the incorporation of mushroom-enriched food into the daily diets of these women, combined with effective nutrition education and active participation in the mushroom production system. Mushrooms are a nutrient-dense food source, rich in essential vitamins such as vitamin D, and B vitamins, and minerals like zinc, selenium, and iron, which are often deficient in rural diets. Additionally, mushrooms provide a valuable source of protein and fiber, making them an ideal complement to traditional staples. Nutrition education programs focusing on the health benefits of mushrooms can help shift dietary patterns and empower rural women to make healthier food choices for themselves and their families. The integration of mushroom cultivation into local agricultural practices not only enhances food security but also provides an additional income source for women, supporting their economic empowerment. Moreover, the cultivation process is relatively low-cost and can be sustainably managed within small-scale farming systems, making it an accessible and feasible solution for rural communities. Training women to grow, harvest, and prepare mushroom-enriched foods can address both the supply and demand side of the nutrition equation, ensuring that nutrient-rich foods are both available and consumed regularly. The dual focus on nutrition education and production system participation also fosters a sense of ownership and self-reliance among rural women, leading to more sustainable long-term improvements in dietary quality. This approach has the potential to reduce gender disparities in agricultural participation by providing women with a specific and profitable area of expertise within their communities.

Empowering Local Tourism through Competitive Swimming Events for Sustainable Development at Swembath Natural Springs

This article presents the results of a community empowerment project aimed at revitalizing local tourism at Swembath Natural Springs in Naga Soppa, Simalungun Regency, North Sumatra. Faced with declining visitor numbers and the need to boost local economic activity, this project integrated competitive swimming events as a new attraction while fostering sustainable development. The construction of an international-standard swimming pool served as the foundation for this initiative, offering a venue for sports tourism that attracts both athletes and recreational visitors. The project also included comprehensive training for local businesses, focusing on tourism management, digital marketing, and service improvement, thereby empowering the community to capitalize on the influx of tourists. The results show a significant increase in visitor numbers during swimming competitions, positively impacting local businesses such as food vendors, craft sellers, and accommodation providers. Moreover, the project fostered environmental conservation efforts, ensuring that the natural beauty of Swembath is preserved for future generations. This initiative aligns with Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly in terms of economic empowerment and environmental sustainability. The community now possesses the tools and infrastructure needed to maintain Swembath as a competitive tourist destination, with a sustainable model that benefits both the environment and the local economy. The project's success highlights the potential of integrating sports tourism and community-based empowerment to foster long-term economic growth and environmental stewardship.

Effect of Women’s Involvement in Small and Medium-Scale Enterprises on their Economic Empowerment in Calabar, Cross River State

This study examined small and medium-scale enterprises and women’s economic empowerment in Calabar, Cross River State. It specifically examined the effect of women’s involvement in SMEs on their economic empowerment dimensions such as financial independence, skills development and business networking opportunities. The study adopted a cross-sectional research design. A structured questionnaire was used to obtain primary data from 337 female operators of SMEs in Calabar. The data were descriptively analyzed, while the study hypotheses were tested using simple linear regression in the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS). After the analysis, it was found that women’s involvement in SMEs operations had a significant positive effect on their financial independence, skills development and business networking opportunities in Calabar. Hence, the study recommended that women in Cross River State should genuinely be supported with financial, technical and material resources to get fully involved in entrepreneurship through SMEs in order to improve their financial independence, ensuring self-employment, income generation, and asset ownership to support their families. It was also recommended that the Government of Cross River State and relevant stakeholders should introduce credible and fully-funded programmes that enable women to gain and improve valuable entrepreneurial skills to effectively engage in SME operations in order to attain sustainable economic empowerment. Additionally, the study recommended that stakeholders in the private sector, including industrialists, non-governmental organizations, and trade associations, among others should encourage female entrepreneurs to participate in networking events, professional associations, workshops and conferences in order to build valuable connections to grow their business.

Toward tenure security: The relationship between women's land ownership, formal land title documents and their empowerment

Respect for land rights for women, as a key strategy to promote their development and empowerment as well as improving their welfare, has been considered in today's societies. However, there have been few empirical studies to back up this statement. Therefore, the primary goal of this research was to find out whether or not women may increase their authority through economic tenure security, legal tenure security, household characteristic, or de facto tenure security. In this regard, the survey data collected in 2021 from 28 villages of Mazandaran province (Northern Iran) were analyzed. The study highlights the significance of de facto tenure security as the most crucial among the four qualities assessed. It's important to note, however, that possessing land titles doesn't necessarily guarantee de facto tenure security. Despite this distinction, the study reveals a meaningful correlation, suggesting that women with land titles are more likely to experience higher levels of empowerment. Official certification, resolution of tenure disputes, increased agricultural income, and the impact of regional urbanization all play an important role in empowering rural women, which usually results in better economic outcomes for them. According to the results, it is evident that the legal registration of women's land ownership correlates with enhanced women's empowerment within rural communities. Land ownership provides women with the means to generate income, make independent choices, and actively participate in various aspects of social and economic life. The findings of this study underscore potential shortcomings in gender neutrality within land interventions, emphasizing the necessity for incorporating gender considerations into research and land-use planning. The practitioners and policy-makers may utilize the study's findings to invest in programs that include components of land tenure security and increase women's economic empowerment.

Examining the Interrelation Between Microcredit, Entrepreneurship and Women’s Empowerment: An Insight into the Effectiveness of Pradhan Mantri Mudra Yojana (PMMY)

The present research unleashes the interrelation between microcredit, entrepreneurship and women’s empowerment in the context of Pradhan Mantri Mudra Yojana (PMMY). In light of this, a structured questionnaire designed to capture the study’s features was given to woman respondents who were residents of the six administrative regions of Haryana in order to gather their responses. The study takes into account 360 respondents. Primary data were collected from July 2023 to March 2024. Logit and ologit regression models were used to evaluate how strongly the chosen variables related to women’s employability. Wilcoxon sign test, a non-parametric test, has been used to determine whether the well-being of the woman respondents differed between the two stages (pre and post Mudra loan). The outcomes of the study revealed that there is a positive interconnection between microcredit, entrepreneurship and women’s empowerment. Further, there has been a considerable increase in the respondents’ economic, social, political and psychological empowerment when compared to the pre- Mudra loan phase. Moreover, the results showed that credit assistance under PMMY schemes helps in job creation.

Girls’ Education and Literacy in Marginalized Areas and its Impact on Sustainable Economic Development: The Interlink Between Gender Equality and Women’s Socio-Economic Empowerment: Turkana South Sub-County, Kenya

Education is the pillar of any development, (UNESCO, 2010) and is also anchored in the Sustainable Development Goals (Goal 4: Quality Education). In Kenya, targeted interventions have been by the government in the education sector to bridge gender disparities but they are but they are still observed and evident at all levels (Leal Filho et al., 2019). Furthermore, Turkana County lags behind and was ranked second last in adult literacy (KNBS, 2019). Specifically, the study sought to establish the socio-cultural, economic and infrastructural determinants of enrolment, transition and retention among boys and girls. The study was guided by Sara Longwe's 1995 analytical framework on women's economic empowerment model. It was further guided Friedman’s 1992 dis empowerment theory. The study established that the overall primary school enrolment rate for the study area was 0.9343 (mean enrolment of 213.1 for boys and 199.1 for girls). The study also established that there were large fluctuations in the number of girls enrolled in schools. The difference in enrolment rates between boys and girls were statistically significant. The number of pupils in each primary school was about 200 hundred and less than 200 for secondary schools hence the conclusion that 100 per cent transition is not possible. Girls had lower enrolment rates as compared to the boys. Girls from regions practicing farming/pastoralism registered higher enrolment rates as compared to those from trade/pastoralism regions hence the conclusion that economic factors contribute to educational outcomes in the study area. The findings also indicate that the school feeding programs have been a motivation for attendance benefitting both parents and pupils. The study makes recommendations for future research, policies and programs.

Trends and inequalities in anaemia prevalence among children aged 6–59 months in Ghana, 2003–2022

BackgroundAnaemia, characterised by a deficiency in red blood cells or haemoglobin, is a public health issue in Ghana, particularly among children. The prevalence of anaemia in this age group has been a longstanding concern due to its adverse effects on cognitive development, physical growth, and well-being. This study examined the trends and inequalities in anaemia prevalence among children aged 6–59 months in Ghana between 2003 and 2022.MethodsData from the Ghana Demographic Health Survey conducted between 2003 and 2022 was used to analyse the prevalence of anaemia in children aged 6–59 months. The World Health Organization’s Health Equity Assessment Toolkit software calculated several inequality measures, including difference, ratio, population-attributable risk, and population-attributable percentage. An inequality assessment was performed for six stratifiers: child’s age, mother’s economic status, maternal educational level, place of residence, child’s sex, and sub-national region.ResultsAnaemia prevalence among children aged 6–59 months in Ghana declined from 76.1% in 2003 to 48.9% by 2022. The results revealed an age-related inequality in anaemia prevalence among children in Ghana, with younger age group ( 6–11 months) consistently showing higher rates. The age-related inequality Difference was 24.6 percentage points in 2022, indicating that age is crucial to understanding anaemia risk. Economic-related inequality between children of mothers in Quintile 5 (richest) and Quintile 1 (poorest) increased from a Difference of 21.1 percentage points in 2003 to 32.7 percentage points in 2022 highlighting the stark inequalities across wealth quintiles. Education inequality between children of mothers with higher education and no education decreased from a Difference of 29.4 percentage points in 2003 to 25.3 percentage points in 2022, suggesting that children from less educated households are still at higher risk. Place of residence inequality between children of mothers living in urban areas and rural areas increased from a Difference of 12.3 percentage points in 2003 to 14.8 percentage points in 2022 reflecting urban-rural disparities. Sex-related inequality between male and female children decreased from a Difference of -0.3 percentage points in 2003 to -5.5 percentage points in 2022 indicating the absence of inequality based on sex of the child. Lastly, regional inequalities are pronounced, as indicated by an increase in the Difference from 21.2 percentage points in 2003 to 34.0 percentage points in 2022, highlighting that children in certain regions like the Northern and Upper East are more affected by anaemia.ConclusionThe decline in anaemia prevalence among children aged 6–59 months in Ghana, reflects substantial progress; however, notable inequalities persist across age, economic status, education, place of residence, and region. To address these disparities, strategies such as enhancing access to healthcare services in underserved regions, implementing community education programs to raise awareness about nutrition and health, and promoting economic empowerment initiatives can be effective. Additionally, community education can play a crucial role in offsetting the effects of low household education levels, fostering a more informed population that can advocate for better health practices and policies. By addressing these key areas, we can work towards reducing anaemia prevalence and improving child health outcomes across all populations in Ghana.

From subsidies to nutrition: Investigating effects among cohort children from the Subsidy Reinvestment programme in Nigeria

This study investigates the effect of a nationwide maternal health programme that targets both demand- and supply-side factors on the nutritional status of children under five years old whose mothers were potentially exposed to the programme. We employed a difference-in-differences approach by matching programme beneficiary facilities to the districts and communities where households reside. The data are drawn from the 2008, 2013, and 2018 rounds of Nigeria's Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS), comprising responses for approximately 120,000 children. Our findings reveal a significant increase in child dietary diversity, particularly in districts with two beneficiary facilities, suggesting stronger effects with expansive programme implementation. Additionally, we observed positive effects on children's consumption of various nutritious foods for those children in districts with two beneficiary facilities. This study investigates a potential mechanism by which expanding access to healthcare facilities, through funding two clinics per district, may contribute to improved child dietary diversity. Our findings suggest that, unlike districts with one beneficiary facility, those with two funded clinics have a higher likelihood of women engaging in work outside the home and earning cash for it. As shown in the analysis, this mechanism is likely due to easier access to health facilities and better contact with health officers, which facilitate quicker reintegration into the labour market for mothers after childbirth and, in turn, could lead to better maternal earnings and potentially enable a more diverse diet for children. The findings suggest that SURE-P's expansive implementation strengthens child nutrition outcomes and supports maternal economic empowerment. In areas with multiple SURE-P facilities, increased access to healthcare enables mothers to reintegrate into the labor market more quickly, facilitating cash income and fostering a reinforcing cycle of improved child dietary diversity and economic benefits for families. This highlights the potential of scaling such programs to maximize both health and economic outcomes in similar contexts.

Batik Marunda as Cultural Heritageand Role in Sustainable Development

Batik Marunda is a batik producer in Jakarta that has a role in supporting one of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), such as empowering relocation communities in three flats in the North Jakarta area. The study analyzes how Batik Marunda's role in the cultural preservation program while still contributing to economic empowerment, waste management to batik and batik materials. Methods of research are field studies, interviews with batik producers, the concept of collaboration in three flats and their governance. The findings show that Batik Marunda empowers especially women in the three flats area, through various skills training that has an impact on increasing skills, insights and economic levels for local residents, to waste management to reduce textile waste and support one of the SDG goals, namely responsible production and consumption. The three flats collaboration in the North Jakarta area is expected to strengthen the creative, environmentally friendly economic network and improve the quality of empowerment in the surrounding community. In summary, this research sees the important role of governance integration between cultural preservation programs, community empowerment, innovation and governance to support the SDGs agenda in the aspects of decent work, economic growth, climate change in sustainable development efforts.

Adaptation of the G-NORM (Gender norms scale) in Uganda: An examination of how gender norms are associated with reproductive health decision-making.

Restrictive gender norms exacerbate health inequalities all over the world. More specifically, they prevent women from seeking preventive health services, constrain women's economic empowerment, and are associated with reproductive health decision making. Gender norms, a subset of social norms, are dynamic and change over time. However, we lack data on how they are changing and how these changes affect health outcomes because current measures do not adequately capture the complex concept of gender norms. We originally developed and validated a gender norms scale, the G-NORM, in India. In this study, using cross-sectional data, we adapted the G-NORM from Southeast Asia (India and Nepal) to sub-Saharan Africa (Uganda) in four steps: 1. Formulation of new scale items (via qualitative analysis) 2. Cognitive Interviewing 3. Questionnaire Administration (n = 2422 women of reproductive age) and 4. Psychometric analysis (Confirmatory Factor Analysis). Like the original scale, descriptive norms and injunctive norms comprised two unique sub scales with high Cronbach's alphas (.80 & .92). Average scores differed depending on the type of norm suggesting that some gender norms are changing faster than others. Specifically, more equitable injunctive norms were associated with lower odds of partner-dominated contraceptive decision making but descriptive norms were not. Gender norms serve as a multi-faceted determinant of health and wellbeing and require measurement tools which account for their conceptual complexity. Validating the G-NORM in Uganda expands measurement options for researchers in the sub-Saharan African region working to change norms to reduce health inequalities or to understand the gender normative context before beginning a study.

Inovasi Schotel Tape di Desa Banjarsari sebagai Strategi Pemberdayaan Masyarakat dan Penciptaan Alternatif Produk Turunan Industri Layak Hilirisasi

This article discusses the innovation of Schotel Tape in Banjarsari Village as a strategy for community empowerment and the creation of viable downstream industrial derivative products. This community service program aims to enhance the skills and knowledge of the community in processing tape into high-value-added products. The methodology includes training, mentoring, and program effectiveness evaluation. The results indicate that the Schotel Tape innovation successfully increases community income and creates new business opportunities. Additionally, the program facilitates collaboration among residents and raises awareness of the importance of product diversification. In conclusion, the Schotel Tape innovation provides a positive contribution to community economic empowerment and can serve as a model for the development of other derivative products.

Factors associated with zero vegetable and fruit consumption among Tanzanian children

BackgroundProper nutrition during early childhood is essential for healthy growth and development, yet many children, particularly in low and middle-income countries, fail to meet recommended intake levels of fruits and vegetables. This study aims to assess the factors associated with zero vegetable and fruit (ZVF) consumption among children aged 6–23 months in Tanzania, using data from the 2022 Tanzania Demographic and Health Survey (DHS).MethodsA weighted sample of 4582 children aged between 6 and 23 months were included in the study. Data cleaning, coding, and analysis were performed using STATA version 17 software. To address the hierarchical nature of the DHS data and the binary outcome variable, a multilevel mixed-effect binary logistic regression model was used. The deviance value served as a guide for determining the best-fitting model. In the subsequent multivariable multilevel binary logistic regression analysis, adjusted odds ratios were computed alongside their respective 95% confidence intervals to evaluate the strength of association, with statistical significance set at a p-value below 0.05.ResultThe overall proportion of ZVF consumption among children aged 6–23 months in Tanzania was 48.34% (95% CI: 46.87, 49.81). Current breastfeeding status, maternal educational status, household wealth index, sex of the household head, and community poverty level were associated with higher odds of ZVF consumption. Meanwhile, child age, maternal employment status, father’s educational status, and media exposure were associated with lower odds of ZVF consumption.ConclusionChild age, current breastfeeding status, maternal educational status, maternal employment status, father’s educational status, household wealth index, sex of household, media exposure, and community poverty level were significantly associated with ZVF consumption. Efforts should focus on educating mothers about the early introduction of fruits and vegetables in children’s diets, alongside supporting breastfeeding. Tailored economic empowerment initiatives are needed in impoverished communities to improve access to nutritious foods.

Iron-rich food consumption and predictors among children aged 6–59 months old in Ethiopia using 2005–2016 national representative data

Children who do not consume enough iron have decreased growth, reduced immunity, and poor cognitive development. This study aimed to assess the pooled iron-rich food consumption, trends, and predictors among children aged 6–59 months old in Ethiopia. This study used Ethiopian demographic and health survey (EDHS-2005–2016) data with a total weighted sample size of 26,773 among children aged 6–59 months old. A multilevel mixed-effects logistic regression analysis was used to identify predictors of good iron-rich food consumption. The pooled proportion of iron-rich food consumed among children aged 6–59 months in Ethiopia was 11.77% (10.71, 12.92%). In Ethiopia, the proportion of iron-rich food intake by children aged 6–59 months was slightly increased from 9.25% (8.04, 10.62%) in EDHS 2005 to 10.86% (9.06, 12.95%) in EDHS 2011, and sharply increased to 17.49% (15.04, 20.24%) in EDHS 2016. The findings indicated that being children born to mothers aged 20 to 34 years old [AOR = 0.56, 95% CI: 0.35, 0.89], mothers aged ≥ 35 years old [AOR = 0.47, 95% CI: 0.28, 0.82], married parents [AOR = 1.68, 95% CI: 1.14, 2.48], completed primary education [AOR = 1.32, 95% CI: 1.02, 1.73], secondary education [AOR = 2.66, 95% CI: 1.53, 4.59], a higher education status of mother [AOR = 3.98, 95% CI: 1.92, 8.23], medium family [AOR = 1.39, 95% CI: 1.03, 1.89], rich family [AOR = 1.45, 95% CI: 1.09, 1.95], media exposure [AOR = 1.35, 95% CI: 1.06, 1.72], residents of the Tigray [AOR = 2.69, 95% CI: 1.51, 4.79], Oromia [AOR = 3.30, 95% CI: 1.30, 4.02], Benishangul [AOR = 2.12, 95% CI: 1.15, 3.88], Gambela [AOR = 5.85, 95% CI: 2.97, 11.50], and Dire Dawa region [AOR = 3.38, 95% CI: 1.76, 6.47], were significantly associated with good iron-rich food consumption among children aged 6–59 months old. The findings revealed that iron-rich food intake was considerably low among Ethiopian children aged 6–59 months. Increasing women’s literacy and economic empowerment improves iron-rich food consumption among children aged 6–59 months old.

OPTIMALISASI PENGELOLAAN WAKAF PRODUKTIF MELALUI PELATIHAN MANAJEMEN WAKAF BAGI NAZHIR MASJID ALAUDDIN DI DESA LAMIDUR

Abstract This community service activity aims to enhance the capacity of the Badan Kemakmuran Masjid (BKM) administrators in managing productive waqf in Lamidur Village, Simalungun Regency. The training was conducted on September 16, 2024, using a participatory approach that included socialization, counseling, and hands-on practice. Evaluation results indicated that participants experienced a significant increase in understanding of waqf concepts and management, with a satisfaction rate of 90%. Participants demonstrated enthusiasm during the Q&A sessions and successfully developed realistic management plans for waqf assets oriented toward local economic empowerment. This activity is expected to improve community welfare through more effective waqf management. Follow-up monitoring will be conducted to ensure the application of knowledge gained in waqf management in the future.