PARTNERSHIPS TOWARDS A MORE RESILIENT UNDP has been a trusted development partner of the Maldiv es for 50 years, helping to achieve the eradication of pover ty, and the reduction of inequalities and exclusion.

We understand that inclusive growth, better services, environmental sustainability, good governance, and security are fundamental to development progress. Our decades of experience on the ground has consistently helped the Maldives meet its development aspirations and to bring the voic es of the people to the forefront.

Throughout the years, UNDP Maldives has been partneri ng with international and local partners, with an aim to help find l ocal solutions to local challenges - empowering people and buildi ng resilient communities in the process. Make My Island

PARTNERSHIPS TOWARDS A MORE RESILIENT MALDIVES

Make My Island is a unique platform where UNDP in the Maldives and our trusted partners can work together to help communities achieve their hopes for a better

strategic partner for UNDP in achieving this vision to help communities reduce inequalities and exclusion, and become more resilient within broader sustainable development.

As part of the Make My Island platform, THE PLATFORM UNDP Maldives has recently begun to formulate its strategy for working with WILL TARGET THE the private sector. We hope to explore FOLLOWING AREAS: ways through which we can mobilize the immense potential and expertise of the FOSTER ACTIVE CITIZENSHIP sector, and create long-term partnerships that would contribute towards addressing the PRESERVE MANGROVES & WETLANDS development challenges in local communities. PROTECT ISLAND CLIMATE & ENVIRONMENT a bridge between community development needs and private sector Corporate Social CULTIVATE BEST PRACTICES IN WATER MANAGEMENT Responsibility wants, while aligning results with the national development goals PROTECT MARINE BIODIVERSITY of the Maldives.

04 Make My Island

73 GRANTS IMPLEMENTED

$2.4m WORTH

17 ATOLLS

58 ISLANDS

OVER 150,000 BENEFICIARIES

05

PHOTO: ALI NISHAN/UNFPA MALDIVES Make My Island

FOSTER drying, dyeing reed and mat weaving is predominantly done by women in ACTIVE South Huvadhoo Atoll and through CITIZENSHIP the project it has uplifted all the women’s well being who are involved in the process.”

Aminath Abdullah, Chairperson, MACCS

ISLAND , Gdh. Atoll PROJECT Restoration & Regeneration of native reed species PROPONENT Maldives authentic art & crafts cooperative society (MACCS) PROJECT VALUE $50,000 DESCRIPTION Restoration and Regeneration of native Reed species (Cyperus polystachyos) and promotion of traditional arts & crafts which focuses on restoring and reviving the cultivation of native reed used for mat-weaving in the Maldives and promoting traditional arts and crafts through participation of women.

07

PHOTO BY MALDIVES AUTHENTIC ARTS & CRAFT COOPERATIVE SOCIETY (MACCS) Make My Island

FOSTER “It was not all about problem solving ACTIVE CITIZENSHIP all over Maldives and learning from them while

movement in the Maldives”

Ibrahim Nawaf, Co-founder, Dhi-Youth Movement

ISLAND Male’, PROJECT Youth Leadership Program (YLP) PROPONENT Democracy House PROJECT VALUE $15,000 DESCRIPTION YLP was established as an annual programme through UNDP support and was scaled up to establish an e-alumni network for coordination and networking. More than 500 young people have been trained through YLP till date and participants have gone to become local councilors , executive directors of CSOs and as active actors in their local community.

09

PHOTO: DEMOCRACY HOUSE Make My Island

which works on aquaculture of mangrove crabs, is integrated with rehabilitation of mangroves, PRESERVE where we trained the local community on MANGROVES nursing, fattening, feeding, handling, storing & WETLAND and marketing of food prepared from these

mangrove tours and location marketing to tourists.”

Wasif Ahmed, Project Manager,Friends AID

ISLAND Kendhikulhudhoo, PROJECT Eco-Tour Mangroves PROPONENT Friends AID PROJECT VALUE $15,000 DESCRIPTION which a aquaculture of mangrove crab (Scylla serrata) nursing, fattening is integrated with rehabilitation of mangroves. Community were trained on nursing, fattening, feeding, handling, storage and marketing, food preparation from Crabs, operating tours & location marketing to tourists. It also consists of facilitating local councils to establish a mechanism for leasing mangroves on an eco-friendly basis. Aquaculture integrated with mangroves also will lead to restoration and higher growth rate of mangroves and project covers monitoring of these aspects while promoting best applicable aquaculture methods in Maldives. Continuous monitoring and evaluation of mangrove restoration and growth of aquaculture will be part of the projects continuing system. 11 Make My Island

document and conserve the mangrove systems PRESERVE of Haa Alifu and Haa . Objectives MANGROVES also include protection of local knowledge on & WETLAND mangroves, strengthening biodiversity conservation, natural resource management

Ibrahim Rilwan, Founder, Blue Peace

ISLAND National PROJECT Conserving Mangroves through the Development of an Informative Website and Community Advocacy PROPONENT Blue Peace (NGO) PROJECT VALUE $26,800 DESCRIPTION Haa Alifu Filladhoo, Haa Alifu , Haa Dhaalu Neykurendhoo and Haa Dhaalu Keylakunu. Objectives also include protection of local knowledge on mangroves, strengthening biodiversity

Link to website: http://www.bluepeacemaldives.org/mangroves/

14 Make My Island

“Our biggest achievement we did not PROTECT expect is that one of the students who ISLAND CLIMATE studied with our help and close & ENVIRONMENT guidance decided to practically work in a local farm to earn a living. He is only 18 year’s with parents who are separated. He now helps support

Shaffaf Rizwan, President, Ekuveringe Cheynu

ISLAND , PROJECT Integrated Farming Systems PROPONENT Meedhoo Ekuveringe Cheynu PROJECT VALUE $37,400 DESCRIPTION

main purpose of this project was to empower women who stay at home to work independently in the community with our NGO’s guidance to earn a living for themselves. A lot of home gardeners

earning a living using agricultural methods. And we are happy to

can be done even by staying at home just by home gardening .

15

PHOTO: ALI NISHAN/UNFPA MALDIVES Make My Island

PROTECT ISLAND CLIMATE have any equipment, vehicles or let & ENVIRONMENT

project provided us the necessary means to start the initiative”

Abdulla Firaaq, Vice President, Council

ISLAND Ukulhas, Alifu Alifu Atoll PROJECT Systematic Waste Management System PROPONENT Womens Development Society, Alifu Alifu Ukulhas PROJECT VALUE $50,000 DESCRIPTION First ever Systematic Waste Management established in an inhabited islands in the Maldives. Marked as an environmentally-friendly role model island among all other inhabited islands of Maldives.

17 Make My Island

CULTIVATE BEST PRACTICES requested for over 30 tonnes of emergency water from the government. With the assistance IN WATER of UNDP we now produce more than enough MANAGEMENT water to last a whole year. We also established solar panels into the system making it more

Abdulla Shujau, President, Council

ISLAND Maalhos, PROJECT Integrated Water Reserve Management (IWRM) System PROPONENT Maalhos Awareness & Recreation Society (MARS) PROJECT VALUE $32,425 DESCRIPTION A sustainable water management facility was established where all rainwater will be harvested and piped to strategic distribution points in the island. A reverse osmosis unit was installed as a backup for rain water shortages and dry periods.

19 Make My Island

CULTIVATE BEST “Research done on the island pointed out that the PRACTICES current practice used in farming was depleting

IN WATER demonstrate how using innovative technology can MANAGEMENT help reduce the damage done to the freshwater lens while producing more healthy crops at a cheaper and sustainable cost”

Ahmed Karam, Owner, Serensky Pvt Ltd

ISLAND PROJECT Hydroponics and water dripping system in farms. PROPONENT Serensky Pvt Ltd PROJECT VALUE $32,296 DESCRIPTION Protecting and conservation of fresh water lens to deal with draughts by adapting

as it required less water and less fertilizers to produce healthy crops compared to

islands freshwater lens.

22 PHOTO: UMAIR BADEEU/UNDP MALDIVES

PHOTO: SERENESKY PVT LTD Make My Island

PROTECT MARINE Project’ was envisaged to initiate a community-led BIODIVERSITY cause to revive coral reefs. Being from a small island every day. But despite the odds, the project made me believe in a future that we all can achieve.”

Shameem Mohamed, Project Manager, Integrated Multi-Tropical Aquaculture Project

ISLAND , Noonu Atoll PROJECT Integrated Multi-Tropical Aquaculture Project PROPONENT Association for Noonu atoll Development (ANDEV) PROJECT VALUE $15,000 DESCRIPTION Coral gardening through grouper and pearl culture, and conserving marine resources and improving livelihoods through sustainable eco-tourism. In addition, the project is working with international organizations to fund more research and assessments.

23 Make My Island

PROTECT MARINE to neighboring NGOs and producing literature BIODIVERSITY place of interest to the community and grows from strength to strength. We are constantly adding to the marine centre items or information to educate and appeal to locals and tourists alike.”

Mohamed Ahmed, Vice Chairperson, Juvenile

ISLAND Naifaru, PROJECT Reef Fish Conservation & Marine Biodiversity PROPONENT Naifaru Juvenile PROJECT VALUE $21,100 DESCRIPTION Conservation of marine biodiversity through participation of community, by creating

educated through outreach programs through local schools and in-house conservation clubs about the need for conserving marine life especially sea turtles as they are so commonly seen here in the Maldives. Field surveys and assistance was also given

national and international organizations, universities and experts in marine sciences). 25 PHOTO: MMPRC Make My Island

THE FUTURE

UNDP Maldives has recently begun to explore ways through which the immense potential and expertise of the private sector in addressing the development challenges of our communities can be mobilized, from concerted and continued engagement at the grassroots levels where the private sector and companies can

cater for the above mentioned task in developing new projects and to connect between development industries and the people. Partner with us. Let’s help make things better!

Photos Provided By Maldives Marketing & Public Relations Corporation (MMPRC) United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA)

28

PHOTO: UNDP MALDIVES

UNITED NATIONS DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME (UNDP) 4tKȵoor, H. Aage (Bank of Ceylon) Boduthakurufaanu Magu, Male’, Republic of Maldives +960 3343 3259 f t UNDPMaldive s www.mv.undp .org Our development partners