The Republic of Maldives is a South Asian island country located in the Indian Ocean. It is also known for being one of the smallest Muslim-majority countries and one of the smallest countries in Asia in general. Here are five charities operating in the Maldives.

5 Charities Operating in the Maldives

1. Maldivian Red Crescent Society: This nonprofit is the first of the five charities operating in Maldives on this list. Maldivian Red Crescent Society is a member of the International Federation of the Red Cross (IFRC) and has been providing humanitarian aid for more than 12 years. Since its founding, it has carried out emergency response, mental health, youth empowerment and patient transport programs.  One group this charity has focused on is migrants. It has helped many migrants with social inclusion and mental health improvement. The charity has also played an elemental role in the Maldives charity scene with its continued work in supporting the most vulnerable populations of the island.
2. Coram International Maldives: This institution focuses on children’s rights. It provides research and consulting for a number of issues relating to children and human rights violations. Being an international institution, Coram provides assistance in more than 92 countries. In the Maldives specifically, the charity works to provide consulting and research related to education, child protection and youth unemployment. In 2019, Coram International paired with UNICEF Maldives to administer a situation analysis regarding the youth of the Maldives. This study developed an assessment report that could help organizations such as the U.N. and UNICEF better help the children of the Maldives.
3. Maldives Family Foundation: The third on the list of five charities operating in Maldives is the Maldives Family Foundation. This foundation works to provide assistance to families through legal aid, psychological help, and financial guidance. Maldives Family Foundation also has a large presence on social media, with prominent Facebook, Twitter and Instagram pages. One way the charity has been helping the citizens of the Maldives is by raising awareness of the Child and Family Protective Services available within the country.
4. UNICEF in Maldives: UNICEF is a worldwide organization that provides humanitarian aid to children. The charity has been operating in the Maldives since 1978. When UNICEF started in Maldives, it had a primary school enrollment rate of 15% and many children were dying before the age of 5. Since then, with the help of humanitarian organizations such as UNICEF, the Maldives has become a country with one of the lowest poverty rates in South Asia. One way in which UNICEF has contributed to the alleviation of poverty in the Maldives is through its partnership with the National Bureau of Statistics. In this partnership, the team created a Multi-Dimensional Poverty Index. This index collected data about “household income, consumption, and the complexities of deprivation and inequality among communities, and [shed] light on how these factors impact children.”
5. Huvadhoo Aid: This organization is focused on providing for the Maldivian community in areas such as human rights, equality and the promotion of democracy. One project that Huvadhoo Aid undertook was a reproductive education and rights workshop in 2012. This workshop was held at a local preschool, where many youths gathered to learn about safe sexual practices. A core goal of the workshop was to fight the HIV/AIDS epidemic in the Maldives.

Looking Ahead

Whether it be working with climate issues, families, the youth or vulnerable populations, these charities are working to make the Maldives a better place. These organizations provide support, not just for residents of the Maldives, but for the international community.

– Timothy Ginter
Photo: Flickr