In a small hilltribe village of Chiang Rai, children at Ban Pangmahan School line up eagerly, not for a test or a game — but for lunch. On their plates are freshly picked vegetables from the school garden they helped plant, a tangible reward from a regional movement that is reshaping how schools feed and care for their students.

Ban Pangmahan School, Chiang Rai, Thailand

This transformation is part of the Promotion of Well-being in Schools in Southeast Asia Project, led by the SEAMEO Regional Centre for Sufficiency Economy Philosophy for Sustainability (SEAMEO SEPS). Backed by the Southeast Asia One Health University Network (SEAOHUN) and Chevron, the initiative goes beyond simply providing food — it’s helping schools turn their lunch programmes into platforms for community learning, health promotion, and sustainable living.

Ban Pangmahan School, Chiang Rai, Thailand

Since June 2024, 29 schools from across the region have joined the project’s first phase, designing better ways to feed and care for their students. From these, seven schools — spanning Thailand, Cambodia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Brunei Darussalam, and Indonesia — were selected for a second phase with financial grants to bring their ideas to life.

What unites them isn’t just their creativity but their belief that food is the starting point of change. They emphasise local food production, health education, and family engagement — proving that the school lunch table can be the heart of community transformation.

At Smet Primary School in Cambodia, malnutrition used to be a quiet crisis. But through new nutrition lessons and improved meal planning, 26 students were lifted out of malnourishment.

In the Philippines, Principal Florian Guanio of Patiis Elementary beams with pride when speaking about Project SMILE. Serving breakfast to 650 students every day has turned school attendance around — from 86% in January to 98% by July. “When children are fed, they come to school. When they come to school, they thrive,” she said, noting that the project also strengthened bonds among teachers, parents, and local leaders.

For Kuala Lumpur’s Sekolah Bimbingan Jalinan Kasih (SBJK) — a haven for marginalised children including orphans and the homeless — nutritious meals are more than sustenance; they’re hope. Teacher Syazatul Natrah noticed that students who once skipped classes now come regularly. “We believe the higher attendance, the better the lives of our students will be,” she said.

From Brunei Darussalam’s SR Pengiran Anak Puteri Besar to Indonesia’s SD Negeri 2 Landasan Ulin Barat, students are now learning to make their own healthy choices. “So, it’s not just teaching facts like ‘vegetables and fruits are healthy’ - it’s about guiding them to actually practice eating balanced meals, making smart snack choices, and thinking about nutrition whenever they eat,” said Ms Suhaila binti Salleh, SR Pengiran Anak Puteri Besar.

In Malaysia’s SJK (C) Chung Hwa Tamparuli, half of upper-primary students reduced junk food consumption. And in Thailand’s remote Aroyama Border Patrol Police School, parents are joining in — tending community gardens and adopting the same nutrition principles at home.

Sekolah Rendah Pehin Dato Jamil to Indonesia’s SD Negeri 2 Landasan Ulin Barat, Brunei Darussalam

SJK (C) Chung Hwa Tamparuli, Malaysia

Aroyama Border Patrol Police School, Thailand

At a recent seminar in Ayutthaya, Thailand, titled Integration of One Health and Sufficiency Economy Philosophy for Sustainable School Well-being, educators shared their stories with palpable pride. For SEAMEO SEPS Director Ms Duriya Amatavivat, the takeaway was clear: sustainability begins in the schoolyard but must extend to systems.

“We will follow up with their progress and provide technical assistance in the coming months,” she said. “When schools, families, and communities work together, school feeding becomes a bridge — connecting health, education, and resilience.”

Looking ahead, each of the seven schools will mentor up to three nearby schools, amplifying the impact across Southeast Asia. Education authorities are also being encouraged to embed these approaches into national policies, ensuring long-term support.

As one visiting official summarised at the event: “This is about more than school lunches — it’s about raising a generation that understands health, respect for food, and care for others.”

From the misty hills of northern Thailand to the bustling streets of Manila and Kuala Lumpur, the humble school lunch is quietly changing lives — one nutritious plate, and one inspired student, at a time.