Fiyavathi Shelter Renovation Project

The ‘Fiyavathi Renovation Project’ was inaugurated through a virtual ceremony organised by the Ministry of Gender, Family and Social Serviceson 24 March 2021.The project is funded as part of India’s total grant assistance of MVR 200 millionto the Maldives for supporting socially impactful projects strewn across the Atolls. The inauguration ceremony was attended by Foreign Minister Abdulla Shahid, High Commissioner Sunjay Sudhir and other senior officials from the Ministries of Foreign Affairs, Gender, Family and Social Services, High Commission of India and Fiyavathi.

Renovation of ‘Fiyavathi’ in Hulhumale’ that houses over 110 kids, is a very special project where the underlying aim is to create a conducive home environment for the children to grow and develop. India is privileged to be associatedwith a project at Fiyavathi shelter whose goal is to provide a safe, secure and enablingenvironment for vulnerable children who have been subjected to various forms ofneglect and abuse and have no other means of primary care. President Solih ratifiedamendments to the Maldivian Child Rights Protection Act in November 2019. Thisproject is a step forward in the right direction to ensure that the commitment of theGovernment of Maldives in the arena of child rights is firm.

 

Elements of the project include creating a more welcoming area, upgrading the security system, building a veranda to create a play area for toddlers, painting the walls with brighter more child friendly colours, setting up common rooms furnished with computers and play stations, placing additional benches in the garden area, and planting trees in the garden, procuring furniture items and strengthening the overall functionality of building to enhance day-to day running.  It is a shining example among the 30 Indian grant projects being undertaken in the Maldives intended to create valuable assets for local communities that contribute positively to improve their quality of life.

About a third of these projects have been completed and inaugurated including the ‘Convention Centre in Ukulhas’, the largest Convention Centre in the Maldives outside of Male’, installation of Streetlights in Kolhufushi, development of Vaani Police Centre, providing ‘Vehicles and machinery’ to the Male’ City council,Goidhoo-Fehendhoo school ferry,providing equipment for setting up Outdoor gyms on 61 islands and 67 Children’s Parks spread across the country. Since the start of 2021, 3 grant projects have been inaugurated - the Ekuveni running track in Male’, the Central Park and the renovated Jetty in Hulhumale’.  In the coming days, we expect to inaugurate the Rasdhoo Coastal protection project, construction of classrooms in Lhohi and Kinolhas schools, strengthening Inclusive Education Support Units in schools in Kulhudhuffushi and Fuvahmulah, a wetland park in Faresmathoda and procurement of vehicles for Male’ Correctional services.

The philosophy of India’s high-impact grant projects in the Maldives isto involve a high-level of community participation in project-implementation and support projects that positively impact areas of livelihood and income generation, health, education, gender and child empowerment, sports, sustainable development, etc. These projects constitute an important dimension of the dynamic development partnership between India and the Maldives and are driven by the needs of communities on the islands. Thus, these projects are in perfect sync with the policy of decentralized development being implemented by the Government of Maldives.

24 March 2021


High Commission of India Male, Maldives