#DhivehiMeehaa

Among the many tourist shops in Male’, Shark products like these are very common. The shop keepers say they are brought in from Lanka and not Maldivian. What is evident is that the pieces are fresh as if it was just killed and cleaned. The Shark is a protected species in the Maldives, its fisheries is banned! Fisheries has a ban; yes! But import of Shark products like these shark teeth are not! Killing sharks in our waters are wrong but its “OK” to sell products made from sharks killed elsewhere? Becoming conscious and say no to Shark Products. “It takes decades and decades for the shark population to recover, but it doesn’t take long to wipe out.” ~ Guy Stevens, Marine Biologist This photo was taken for ECOCARE Maldives at Male’, Maldives Photography and caption by ©Maeed (all rights reserved)

I was walking around with my camera in Rasmaadho when I came across this boy and asked if I could take a picture of him, I told him to give me a good pose. He replies back to me “I can give you my ‘I am smart’ look”. Growing up in an Island community in Maldives or coming from “ Raaje Therey ” (from the islands), does not make a kid less smarter nor stupid. Sometime we often make the mistake to restrict ourselves to that single story, where kids growing up in the Islands are poor, uneducated and stupid. Well its confident kids just like this smart boy that reminds me the that we are all but Maldivians and its these smart Maldivian kids who will grow up to become tomorrows smart leaders, no matter which part they come from. Photo taken at Rasmaadhoo, Raa. Atoll, Maldives Photography and caption by ©Maeed (all rights reserved)

Walking on a Maldivian beach, this is the last thing one might expect to see. A "Sand drive"? Strange may it seem but solid waste management needs a serious thought in many island communities in the country. For decades Maldivians disposed waste on the beaches (the extent that the word Godu'dhoh - beach comes from Godhu - dump yard), it was a common practice back then, well in their case waste were limited to domestic waste. Our ancestors must be amused to learn about the electronic waste that seem to be somehow popping out from the Maldivian beaches today. Though awareness may have reached its heights, waste management can only be practical with necessary institutions in place, with more focus on a regional scale. Photo taken at Raa. Rasmaadhoo, Maldives Photography and caption by ©Maeed (all rights reserved)

I came across this little Ms Lady in Red while in Raa Atoll, Maldives. Shy and innocent she stares at my camera, never hid herself completely, observed everything I was doing, clearly not scared but wanted to make sure what the stranger was doing around her neighborhood. Girls in Maldives grow in an independent environment today, mostly empowered and taught to be self relied as they grow up to be leading women in society. Most have the opportunity for higher education irrelevant to the their social upbringing. Today there is still hope in the country for little girls like Ms. Lady in Red. I hope it remains the same, and girls/women be empowered through out the Maldives, always. Photo taken at Raa Atoll, Maldives Photography by ©Maeed (all rights reserved)

These insects have an amazing story, you don't really find them throughout the year in the Maldives, but you will see them seasonally. The Dragonflies are said to be the longest Migrating insects, every year millions of dragonflies fly across the open ocean from Southern India to Africa. One of their stops of course the Maldives. Photo taken at Laamu Atoll - Maldives Photo by ©Maeed (2013) Same photo on Flickr YourShot National Geographic