MV+ • 17th April 2023

Meet Nuzuha, Youngest ExCom Member of MJA Making Waves in Political Reporting

“When political activists disguise themselves as journalists, the public doesn’t take us seriously. They question our integrity,” says Nuzuha, a 24 years old journalist from the Maldives, who is making waves in the field of political reporting.

MV+ • 2nd March 2023

Meet Khadheeja Ahmed, the Skilled Weaver Keeping Traditional Craft Alive on Remote Maldivian Island

“There’s nothing much else to do on this island except this,” says Khadheeja Ahmed, a resident of V. Rakeedhoo — an island in the remote corner of Vaavu atoll with a population fewer than 100 people.

MV+ • 25th January 2023

Shayan, A Teenager Who Experienced Cyberbullying

“Doctor says I appear effeminate because I grew up around a lot of women,” says Ahmed Shayaan, a teenager who turned to the Internet for mental health but was met with bullying instead.

Shayaan began making Tiktok videos early last year. He said explaining his intention, “I have horrible social anxiety. And I wanted to dance, for my emotional happiness.”

Shayaan said his friends at the time encouraged him to post these videos publicly, which he did. But he deleted the videos once he realized h

MV+ • 3rd November 2022

Meet Soodhaththa, Oldest Midwife of Hulhumeedhoo Who Delivered Over 1400 Babies

“I’ve seen a lot of infants on the verge of death. Some babies I delivered had eaten fecal matter in their womb, and others had the umbilical cord wrapped around their necks,” says Soodhaththa, oldest midwife (ފޫޅުމައި) of Hulhumeedho who delivered over 1400 babies.

“I am now more than 90 years old. My mother was a midwife and she also helped prepare the dead to be buried. I followed my mother’s footsteps and did these things too.”

Soodhatha started as a midwife’s assistant before becoming a m

MV+ • 19th June 2022

Thanzy, Strong Advocate for Save the Natural Beach of Villimale’

“I’ve made so many memories on this beach. This is where my husband and I came to celebrate our wedding, it is where so many of my nieces and nephews had their first swim and this is where we even decided to form our NGO.”

Thanzy is the proud co-founder of Save the Beach, and she has been fighting steadfastly in a never-ending battle to preserve the fleeting beauty of our country.

“After the various developments that began in Villingili in the 90s, there were only three stretches of beach left

MV+ • 30th May 2022

Ahmed Waheed, Fighting to Halt Male’ City Council’s Operations at Villin’gili Beach

“From the youngest to the eldest, this is the only area that we can use as a proper beach. Whether you are from Malé or a different island, this is the only beach that we have left here.”

Ahmed Waheed is among residents of Villingili who have been lobbying for the protection of the beach following the deforestation of the Eastern shoreline that began earlier this year in March, for the development of a fiberglass boatyard.

According to the regulations under the Ministry of Planning, Housing an

MV+ • 25th May 2022

Rae Munavvar, Experienced Journalist Covering Conservation

“It broke my heart to see the damage those incidents did to him and how it impacted him as a writer, as a human being,” says Rae Munavvar, describing a fellow journalist getting assaulted and arrested.

“I think that was one of the hardest things I had to face,” she explained, talking about her colleague. “It was one of those moments where I felt like I wanted so badly to create that space, a safe space for my journalists. I can’t guarantee your safety in a rally, I can’t guarantee your safety w

MV+ • 26th April 2022

Ali Sulaiman, Seasoned Reporter Advocating for Issue-based Journalism

“Social media has become very powerful. Breaking news journalism doesn’t work anymore,” says Ali Sulaiman, a seasoned journalist in the Maldives who has been in the industry for over 17 years.

Before he became a well-known broadcast reporter in the country, Ali Sulaiman used to be a teacher in his home island Th. Vilufushi. He was displaced from his island to Male’ by the Tsunami of 2004, and took a job in a local newspaper afterwards.

He believes that journalists in the country needs to repor

MV+ • 21st April 2022

Laisha, Political and Judiciary Journalist

“Question things. It’s your right to question. And it’s your right to get answers,” says Laisha Ahmed Zaki, local journalist covering news on law and courts.


Laisha expressed that she has always been passionate about writing, and journalism is a career path that allows her to do that.


“I never had to take this as a job. Rather this feels more like a passion. I like to ask questions, and question things. Journalism is where I get to get the answers and present them as well,” Laisha said, ex

MV+ • 7th March 2022

Sama, Diagnosed with Endometriosis, Defied All Odds

“All the doctors looked at my report and said that there was no chance for me to have children,” says Sama, who was diagnosed with endometriosis, a condition that can influence the fertility of women in many ways.


Sama and her first husband opted for IVF since they were having difficulty trying to conceive. The doctor wanted to do additional tests to see if Sama’s ovaries were in a viable condition. This is when they discovered that the cyst was stuck to her ovary and had grown 8cm. The docto

MV+ • 10th January 2022

Afa, Domestic Abuse Survivor

“He never touched me. I want to emphasize this, he didn’t touch me,” says Afa, a now-single mother, and a strong survivor of financial and emotional domestic abuse.


Afa has always been an outspoken child, who excelled in her schools, held elected school posts, and a passionate advocate for social justice.


Afa describes marrying at the young age of 21 years old to a narcissist as the biggest mistake of her life.

Ever since childhood, Afa has always suffered from severe anxiety attacks, whi