Sovannaphum Life Assurance Plc has initiated and sponsored their first ever running event dedicated for women, “Women Run 10k”, in conjunction with the International Women’s Day, 8 March.

The maiden event aims to support gender equality and encourage women participation in sports.

Tan Jiak Hian, director and CEO of Sovannaphum Life Assurance Limited said: “This is our first time and we are very happy to initiate and sponsor this inaugural event dedicated to encourage women in the country to enter new frontiers, such as sports.”

“We would also wish to send a strong message to all women out there, that while you are breaking new frontiers, we support you by providing financial protection for your families, so that you have the peace of mind to fully engage in your activities and excel.

“Women in Cambodia have been active and had shown achievement in many areas, such as in the government sectors, businesses, as well as in social areas. More and more women are being employed in the commercial organisations and a lot of activities are being organised for women these days.

“However, in the area of sports, there is no single event dedicated to women so far. Running, especially long distance, traditionally has been dominated by men. Sovannaphum Life Assurance feels that this is a new area for women to enter with our support,” he said during a press conference at the National Olympic Committee of Cambodia’s office to announce the event, which was held on January 13.

The run, which will start from Wat Botum Park and end at the Satart in Phnom Penh, is divided into two categories - 10K and 4K and expects to attract some 5,000 participants.

The event is organised by NOCC, Ministry of Tourism, Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport with Sovannaphum Life Assurance as a principal sponsor.

Tan added that being a local insurance company, Sovannaphum has always been there to support Cambodians.

The company provides a wide range of life insurance products to meet the needs of individuals and commercial organisations in Cambodia. Todate, it has provided financial protection to more than 50,000 Cambodians and their families.

He also said that Sovannaphum aimed to expand this year by reaching out to more customers in Cambodia.

“As a local life insurance company, we want cover as many people as possible. We will reach out to every single Cambodian so that they are able to manage their financial risk better. We expect to increase our business by at least 30 per cent. We are targetting the loan and children segment.”