KAMPOT, CAMBODIA - Media OutReach Newswire - 9 July 2026 - Angchum Lower Secondary School – a secondary school in Kampot, Cambodia, which has launched a "Plastic Free School" campaign and is championing healthy environmental practices from tree planting to hygiene awareness – has been awarded the US$15,000 AIA Outstanding Health & Sustainability Award 2026.

Now in its fourth year, the competition is a flagship initiative of the AIA Healthiest Schools programme (AHS), which empowers students aged 5 to 16 to embed healthy living into daily life across four key pillars: healthy eating, active living, mental wellbeing and sustainability.

Angchum Lower Secondary School was selected from nearly 1,000 entries across Asia-Pacific, the highest participation level since the programme's launch, and was announced at a regional ceremony in Bangkok, Thailand.

The AIA Healthiest Schools Competition challenges schools to turn their best health and wellbeing ideas into practical action. By applying what they have learned to real-life issues, students are embedding healthy habits into daily life while creating positive impact within schools and across their wider communities.

Stuart A. Spencer, Head Judge of the AIA Healthiest Schools Competition and AIA Group Chief Marketing Officer, said:

"The AIA Healthiest Schools Competition is the largest programme of its kind in Asia and is helping young people take ownership of their health by turning knowledge into action.

"Congratulations to Angchum Lower Secondary School from Cambodia. Your shining example will inspire countless others across the region, shaping a healthier future for young people all over Asia."

In his speech at the event, Mr. Lee Yuan Siong, AIA Group Chief Executive and President, said:

"What is most powerful about this programme is that it turns health from something students are taught into something they do every day."