Maldives Youth Sustainable Innovation and Development in Environment Conservation, Tourism, Heritage (YouthSIDE)
December 30, 2025
Program Description:
Maldives Youth Innovation for Sustainable Development in Tourism, Heritage and Environment Conservation (YouthSIDE) is an innovative national partnership program led by youth civil society organisations bringing together dynamic and professional youth experts to mainstream and implement Sustainable Development Goals and United Nations 2030 Agenda. The program is led by Huvadhoo Association for Tourism and Maldives Island Conservation Project in partnership with relevant Government Authorities including the Ministry of Education and The Maldives National University as well as support from private research think tanks including Maldives Centre for Policy Research.
YouthSIDE brings international best practices for national development and youth empowerment and engagement in implementing local SDG projects. The most successful projects under the YouthSIDE project include multidisciplinary partnerships across a broad cross section of society delivering value added assets to local governments such as Maldives Island Conservation Project led Noonu Atoll ECO-NUT advocacy and training program on conservation for more than 100 young Maldivians funded by the US Embassy.
YouthSIDE has increased impact footprint togehter with the Huvadhoo Association for Tourism led Community Skatepark worth USD 30,0000, Tourism Vessel Mooring Project funded by Bank of Maldives worth USD 15,000, training and syllabus to certify young people as tour guides for the rural islands in South of Maldives. Innovating traditional culture, using new and emerging technologies such as remote sensing methods like Light Detection and Ranging (LIDAR) to map out ancestral heritages of the first Maldivians including Buddhist stupas and historical. Social audio and real time virtual rooms applications to broaden and enrich public knowledge and understanding of traditional culture.
Under YouthSIDE, we have completed the baseline assessment in Noonu Lhohi for the conservation park under grant from UNDP. Currently work is continuing at white paper and advocacy level on combining this land allocation by the government and sustainable blue economies for farmers and vulnerable rural communities.
Our work to strengthen economic empowerment, and resilience of our communities through a Community Farm Hatchery in mangrove areas has progressed. We also supported scoping studies and initial environment assessments with support from Australian DFAT and the concepts have been submitted for approved in local government land use plans.
Maldives Youth Innovation for Sustainable Development in Tourism, Heritage and Environment Conservation (YouthSIDE) is an innovative national partnership program led by youth civil society organisations bringing together dynamic and professional youth experts to mainstream and implement Sustainable Development Goals and United Nations 2030 Agenda. The program is led by Huvadhoo Association for Tourism and Maldives Island Conservation Project in partnership with relevant Government Authorities including the Ministry of Education and The Maldives National University as well as support from private research think tanks including Maldives Centre for Policy Research.
YouthSIDE brings international best practices for national development and youth empowerment and engagement in implementing local SDG projects. The most successful projects under the YouthSIDE project include multidisciplinary partnerships across a broad cross section of society delivering value added assets to local governments such as Maldives Island Conservation Project led Noonu Atoll ECO-NUT advocacy and training program on conservation for more than 100 young Maldivians funded by the US Embassy.
YouthSIDE has increased impact footprint togehter with the Huvadhoo Association for Tourism led Community Skatepark worth USD 30,0000, Tourism Vessel Mooring Project funded by Bank of Maldives worth USD 15,000, training and syllabus to certify young people as tour guides for the rural islands in South of Maldives. Innovating traditional culture, using new and emerging technologies such as remote sensing methods like Light Detection and Ranging (LIDAR) to map out ancestral heritages of the first Maldivians including Buddhist stupas and historical. Social audio and real time virtual rooms applications to broaden and enrich public knowledge and understanding of traditional culture.
Under YouthSIDE, we have completed the baseline assessment in Noonu Lhohi for the conservation park under grant from UNDP. Currently work is continuing at white paper and advocacy level on combining this land allocation by the government and sustainable blue economies for farmers and vulnerable rural communities.
Our work to strengthen economic empowerment, and resilience of our communities through a Community Farm Hatchery in mangrove areas has progressed. We also supported scoping studies and initial environment assessments with support from Australian DFAT and the concepts have been submitted for approved in local government land use plans.