Inspiring Early Career Researchers: Nur Lailatuz Zahra
More than fifty Early Career Researchers have made significant contributions towards the Action Against Stunting Hub workstreams in India, Indonesia, Senegal and the UK.
In this series, researchers reflect on their personal and professional growth through contribution to Hub research.
Learning from Communities
Nur Lailatuz Zahra
INDONESIA
Zahra is a Research Assistant based at the Centre for Excellence in Food and Nutrition For Quality Human Resources, SEAMEO REFCON, Indonesia. She joined the Action Against Stunting project during its infancy in 2020. Here, she shares her thoughts on her journey with the project.
Her Master’s degree in Community Nutrition positioned her well for her role as a research assistant for the food systems workstream. Her expectation from the outset was to conduct high quality and high-impact research on child stunting.
Back in 2021, Zahra undertook training on how to conduct questionnaires and collect information from participants including Household Expenditure.
The project has provided life lessons from the wider research team as well as the community. The value of integrity as a researcher was embedded into her approach to work, as was the goal to help people by securing high quality evidence to reduce stunting/malnutrition.
Zahra has always been struck by the kindness of the participants with whom she has developed a strong relationship with.
"The Lombok people are very warm - they always welcome us full-heartedly during home visits. Despite their economic conditions, they will try their best to accommodate us as guests.
Sometimes, when a mother has no tea or coffee to offer, they gave us water with sugar.
This is also what they give to their child if they do not have milk; or they may mix milk powder with flour so the child will be full for longer.
Their sincerity in welcoming the guest and giving the best touched my heart, but they may not know if it is the best thing for the child."
As part of Zahra's research with communities in Lombok, she has attended courses on food hygiene, how to collect household information through spot checks, direct observation, and sampling. Later, she has taken part in training to progress her data analysis skills.
She says that the project has brought her out of her comfort zone, and the Indonesia team has encouraged her to broaden her research interests for new ideas to enrich the project.
Her public engagement training encouraged her to consider how to communicate about the project both at international conferences and within Indonesia community life.
Her work on the project has inspired her to continue working in the field of education related to issues with mothers’ and children’s under- and over-nutrition.
"Nutrition education is really important, and I hope we can inspire more mothers and help them to give the right and best food to their child."
Zahra's story demonstrates the significant impact of the Action Against Stunting Hub in equipping young researchers with essential skills and experiences, paving the way for their future contributions to clinical nutrition and public health.