Under the "Enderi" project, 17 individuals have successfully completed the Basic Rangers Course training programme conducted in Laamu Atoll.
Funded by the Enderi project and conducted by the Maldives National University (MNU), classes for this historic programme were held at the L. Gan Campus. MNU stated that certificates were awarded yesterday to the 17 graduates who completed the course. The graduates include 10 students from L. Atoll who completed the course on scholarship, and 7 rangers active in protected areas across various regions of the Maldives.
The certificate awarding ceremony held at the L. Gan Campus was attended by the Dean of MNU's College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences, Dr. Ahmed Riyaz Jauharee, and the Deputy Minister of the Ministry of Tourism and Environment, Hassan Mohamed. In their speeches at the ceremony, they highlighted the importance of skilled rangers in protecting the biodiversity of the Maldives and shed light on plans to further expand such opportunities in the future. The first Basic Rangers Course training programme is considered a major step forward in the efforts to protect the environment and biodiversity of the Maldives.
The Basic Rangers Course training programme was designed to focus on the environmental, social, and administrative characteristics of protected atolls. It was conducted with the aim of producing rangers equipped with the necessary information and skills to manage protected areas in the most appropriate manner. MNU stated that the course covered subjects such as environmental science, environmental law and enforcement, increasing social participation and awareness, basic computer skills, and navigation. The training course, spread over various days within a twelve-week period, was conducted through theory and practical sessions. The Ministry of Tourism and Environment provided an allowance of MVR 4,500.00 to the participants of this course.
The "Enhancing National Development through Environmentally Resilient Islands" (Enderi) project, implemented by the Ministry of Tourism and Environment on behalf of the Maldivian government, was formulated in 2021. Its objectives include assessing the natural capital of Maldivian islands, determining sustainable ways to utilize these resources, and raising awareness among industries and the general public that rely on these resources.
The aim of this project is to assist in the implementation of the newly established environmental policies of the Maldivian government and to promote "green growth" in atoll development. This involves the sustainable use of marine natural capital and the adoption of development concepts that enhance the resilience and recovery of coral reefs. The project is designed to find ways to incorporate the natural capital accounts of the Maldives' biodiversity and natural resources into the national capital. By utilizing these accounts, the project seeks to protect and sustain the natural systems associated with the reef environments of the Maldives, enhance the health and resilience of these ecosystems, find ways to minimize the negative impacts of development projects, and facilitate a system to replicate such methods.
