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Learning to swim the Maldivian way
Maldives.net.mv – Seven Grade 3 children join hands in a circle in the shallow turquoise water of Soneva Fushi, Maldives. On the count of three they duck, submerging their faces into the warm water. Seconds later they jump up, squealing with contagious delight. With their instructors, they float on their backs and kick in the shallows, their giggles drowning out the sound of the waves.
So far, not so unusual. But for many of these island nation children, this is their first ever swimming lesson. Despite living on Eydhafushi, an island less than 1km long by half a kilometre wide and just one metre above sea level, most of these children are unable to swim. Unusually dark skies, intermittent rain and choppy water cannot dampen the excitement of the children as they receive their first proper instruction in the water.
Federica Siena, marine biologist at Soneva Fushi, is the lead of the two week learn-to-swim programme Her small stature belies a strength of focus, both in and out of the water. In a lilting Italian accent, she explains the motivation behind the programme:
“The idea came from the 2013 SLOW LIFE Symposium which is an annual environmental event hosted by Soneva. We had lots of conversations with marine experts and we thought that teaching kids seemed the most important way to inform the people around Soneva Fushi about protecting the ocean. It’s the first step in a bigger goal of environmental protection. Giving lectures and presentations wouldn’t work – the kids need to have a passion and start loving the sea.”
Filmmaker and six-time grantee of the National Geographic Expeditions Council Jon Bowermaster, is making a documentary film of the swim programme, with the aim of promoting swimming worldwide. He asks the children where they go to swim. We don’t, they respond. Why not? It is dangerous. There are dangerous fish and it is dirty.
The dangerous fish is questionable. But without doubt the shoreline at Eydhafushi is dirty. The parents refuse to let their children take their swimming lessons there and with good reason. The contrast between the litter-strewn beaches of local islands and the clean white sand of resort islands like Soneva Fushi is impossible to ignore. In a nation with few municipal waste facilities and huge stress on the limited available land, the sea has traditionally been a useful dumping ground. But just one or two generations ago that waste would have been food waste and biodegradable matter. Today it is plastic bottles, plastic packaging and aluminium cans.
“I have travelled around the world studying the way people who live on the edge of the ocean react to it, treat it. Sadly there are many places where the ocean has been abused by people mistreating it for decades,” says Jon.
“The goal with our learn-to-swim programme is to teach kids, and parents, to swim, to gain a confidence that will keep them safe in the ocean, but also encourage them to be better protectors of the ocean. Once they’ve swum here, seen the sandy bottom and the fish, they’ll become stewards of taking care of it.”
Earlier in the day, 17 mothers of the same group of children join for their first lesson. The lesson begins with simple steps. They start with feeling comfortable with their faces in the water. They learn to exhale through the nose and inhale through the mouth, and progress to floating on their backs. The sound of their laughter competes with that of the children.
Lead instructor for the swim programme is Nathan Tschohl from Diversity in Aquatics, a non-profit committed to reducing annual drowning statistics and to increasing diversity in the profile of swimmers worldwide. A staggering 1.2m people drown worldwide each year, a figure Nathan is determined to see fall. He looks satisfied as he waves the mothers off at the end of class. “This was 100 times more than I was hoping for. There was no fear among these women. They will go home and tell their friends and family. This could be a really important stepping stone.”
Meanwhile, it is the turn of the children. Nine year old Iraahath is not so sure as the mothers. She arrives in tears, probably afraid of the water, possibly feeling shy, yet within minutes she has her face in the water and excitement conquers fear. “Vaagi dhookollaa!”, her instructor tells her – relax!
Drying off over sweet pastries, the exhilarated children share stories of their first swimming lesson. Nine year old Ida has a huge smile. The slogan on her bright green t-shirt screams Don’t Look At Me but it is hard not too. She confidently tells me that today she was very scared when she put her face in the water for the first time but that at the end of two weeks she will be snorkelling on the reef. “I will go into the deep. Because I will learn!”
Atmosphere Foundation, in collaboration with Moodhu Bulhaa Dive Centre, has opened applications for the first batch of a new programme that will sponsor 10 Maldivians per year to pursue professional dive training.
The initiative is aimed at supporting the career development of young Maldivians and increasing the number of qualified local professionals in the tourism industry. As tourism remains the Maldives’ main economic sector, the programme is designed to help Maldivians enter the field, build their skills from the ground up, and progress in their careers.
Under the programme, selected candidates will receive fully funded training and support to complete a range of internationally recognised dive certifications. The programme will cover full professional training, all certification fees, accommodation, meals and insurance.
Applicants must be aged 18 and above. Successful candidates will be required to work in the Maldives for a specified period after completing their course, helping ensure that the country’s tourism and marine sectors benefit directly from the skills developed through the initiative.
Abdul Azeez Abdul Hakeem, Vice President of Atmosphere Foundation, said the programme reflects the foundation’s commitment to creating practical opportunities for Maldivians to grow and succeed.
“This programme is about opening a pathway for young Maldivians who are passionate about the ocean and want to build a profession in diving. By investing in training and development, we are helping create more opportunities for Maldivians to take up skilled roles in an industry that is central to the country’s economy. We hope this initiative will support participants not only in gaining qualifications, but also in building long-term careers in the Maldives,” he added.
Atmosphere Foundation has continued to support community development through a range of initiatives focused on education, skills development, youth empowerment and social wellbeing. Through its programmes and partnerships, the foundation works to create opportunities that strengthen communities and contribute to long-term national development.
The dive training initiative adds to the foundation’s broader efforts to support Maldivians through programmes that deliver direct benefits, expand access to opportunity and encourage personal and professional growth.
Applications for the first batch are now open, with the submission deadline set for 15 April 2026. For applications and further information, interested individuals may contact info@moodhubulhaa.com or call +960 7788141.
The Indian Ocean provides consistent surf conditions throughout the year, but each September, Four Seasons Resort Maldives at Kuda Huraa hosts the Surfing Champions Trophy at the Sultans break. The event is scheduled to return from 4 to 11 September 2026, bringing together professional surfers, guests and spectators.
Now in its 14th edition, the Surfing Champions Trophy is an invitation-only event featuring professional surfers competing across three board disciplines: single fin, twin fin and thruster. The competition takes place at Sultans, a reef break in North Malé Atoll, with Four Seasons Resort Maldives at Kuda Huraa serving as the base for participants, officials and attending guests.
The line-up for the 2026 edition will be announced in stages in the coming months.
The event was first held in 2011, with Mark Occhilupo winning all three divisions and the Grand Champions Final. Since then, previous winners have included Damien Hardman (2012), Taylor Knox (2013), Dave Rastovich (2014), Shane Dorian (2015), Taj Burrow (2016, 2017 and 2024), Josh Kerr (2018 and 2019), Kelly Slater (2022), and Joel Parkinson (2023).
Over the years, the competition has also featured a range of international surfers, including Carissa Moore, Maya Gabeira, Tom Curren, Rob Machado, Layne Beachley, Bethany Hamilton, Mikey February, Jeremy Flores and Jadson Andre.
The 2025 edition saw Tahitian surfer Michel Bourez secure victory despite sustaining a hamstring injury during the event. He won both the thruster division and the Grand Champions Final, achieving the only perfect score of the competition in the closing moments of the final. Other participants included Owen Wright, Jesse Mendes, Craig Anderson and Maldivian wildcard Ismail Rasheed.
In parallel with the event, the resort offers the “Surf’s Up” package, which includes coaching sessions with Tropicsurf professionals, guided surf trips, daily yoga sessions, spa treatments, and accommodation with transfers. The package is available to guests seeking to participate in surf-related activities during the event period.
Updates on the 2026 competition, including participant announcements, will be released through official channels of the Surfing Champions Trophy and Four Seasons Resort Maldives at Kuda Huraa.
JOALI has announced a partnership with retired footballer Fara Williams, who will visit JOALI Maldives and JOALI BEING this April to lead a series of football-related activities for guests and the local community.
Fara Williams is among the most capped players in English football history, with 172 international appearances for the England women’s national team. Over the course of her career, she represented clubs including Chelsea and Charlton Athletic, and captained Everton to victory in the Premier League Cup in 2008 and the FA Women’s Cup in 2010.
As part of the initiative, Williams will host a football workshop for girls from Dhuvaafaru Island on 11 April 2026. The session is intended to support the development of women’s football in the Maldives and reflects JOALI’s engagement with communities in Raa Atoll.
In addition, family-focused football sessions will be held for resort guests on 13 April at JOALI Maldives and on 17 April at JOALI BEING. These sessions will provide children and families with the opportunity to participate in football activities guided by Williams.
JOALI Maldives offers villas starting from USD 3,256 per night for two guests sharing a Water Villa with Pool on a bed and breakfast basis. At JOALI BEING, villas start from USD 3,162 per night for two guests sharing an Ocean Pool Villa on a bed and breakfast basis.
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