AIA announces the results of the AIA Healthiest Schools regional awards.

AIA announced the results of the 4th annual “AIA Healthiest Schools” regional competition, awarding a total of US$100,000 in prize money to support schools in expanding their health and wellness programs. The project is also expanding to Myanmar and New Zealand in 2569/70, continuing its goal of creating healthy and sustainable lives for Asian youth.

AIA Group of Companies Announcement of the competition results. The 4th Regional “AIA Healthiest Schools” Project. SMP IL Kapten Fatubaa school from Indonesia won the regional championship and received a share of the total prize money of US$100,000 to support the development of health and well-being projects in the school.

The project is designed to encourage students aged 5-16 to learn about and apply healthy lifestyle practices in their daily lives through four areas: healthy eating, active living, mental health, and well-being coupled with sustainability.

AIA specify that The 2568/69 competition saw the largest number of participating schools since the project began in 2565, reflecting the growing awareness of schools, teachers, and youth in creating health-promoting activities that can be scaled up within schools, families, and communities.

Mr. Stuart A. Spencer, Chief Marketing Officer of AIA Group and Chairman of the Judging Panel. It was stated that the AIA Healthiest Schools program is one of the key initiatives that helps instill healthy behaviors in young people, while also developing important skills such as creativity, problem-solving, and collaboration.

Many countries in Asia are currently facing health challenges for children and youth, including lack of physical activity, poor nutrition, and mental health issues. Instilling good habits from an early age will help create positive long-term outcomes and aligns with AIA's mission of "Healthier, Longer, Better Lives."
The school that won the regional award is SMP IL Kapten Fatubaa from Indonesia, located in a remote border area where students have to travel across a river and through rugged terrain to get to school.

The school has leveraged the community's waste problem to develop the "Huka Upcycling Project," transforming leftover banana peels into ice cream, compost, and bio-fertilizer. This project integrates science education, entrepreneurial skills development, and community collaboration, benefiting over 1,000 people in both environmental and agricultural aspects.
In addition, awards were given in four categories:

• The field of sustainable healthcare includes Angchum Secondary School in Cambodia, for its project on reducing plastic use, promoting hygiene, and fostering community involvement.
• An example of a school promoting mental well-being is Chongqing Nan'an District Shanhu Puhui Experimental Primary School in China, which participates in the Emotion Eco-Park project to develop emotional management skills and reduce conflict within the school.
• An example of an active lifestyle is Sekolah Kebangsaan Manir school in Malaysia, from their Sihat Aktif Manirian project, which uses digital technology to track students' health behaviors.
• In the field of healthy eating, Chu Van An Primary School in Vietnam is an example of a school that implements the Happy Meal project. This project promotes nutrition knowledge, organic farming, and cooking activities, leading to tangible changes in students' eating habits.

In the 2569/70 academic year, the AIA Healthiest Schools program will expand to Myanmar and New Zealand, bringing its total coverage to 12 countries and economies in the Asia-Pacific region: Australia, Cambodia, China, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, New Zealand, the Philippines, Sri Lanka, Thailand, and Vietnam. This aims to further build a network of healthy schools and instill healthy behaviors in a wider youth base.