Fostering Cultural Synergy to Address Stunting: Community Resilience in Urban-Rural Coastal Belawan Bahari

Fostering Cultural Synergy to Address Stunting: Community Resilience in Urban-Rural Coastal Belawan Bahari Stunting persists to be a crucial obstacle in the urban–rural coastal areas of Indonesia, where ecological risks, structural vulnerabilities, and cultural dynamics intersect. The article explores the strategies of the Belawan Bahari community in Medan towards stunting, framing it as both a biomedical concern and a reflection of ecological and social injustices. Interviews, focus groups, observations, and document analysis were used to gather data from 25 participants (parents, health cadres, and local leaders) in a qualitative case study that took place from March to June 2025. In accordance with Bourdieu's habitus and resilience theory, the results indicate that tidal flooding, poor sanitation, and insufficient infrastructure increase the health risks of children, while low maternal education and inadequate services enhance fragility. Traditional medicine and kinship solidarity are cultural practices that families rely on, however they only help with short-term coping. Integrating ecological risk mitigation, healthcare governance, and cultural resources are crucial in designing successful stunting interventions. This is because cultural synergy arises when local traditions connect with institutional programs.