Dhuvaafaru, Maldives: an island of our own (1/7)

Part 1. Dhuvaafaru: the long wait is over

First of a series of 7 videos retracing the relocation of an entire community of nearly 4000 people, that lost their island home after the 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami.

The Red Cross Red Crescent helped them by building a new community on the deserted island of Dhuvaafaru.

When the tsunami swept across the Maldives on 26 December 2004 the island of Kandholhudhoo was rendered uninhabitable, leaving more than 3,600 people homeless.

Following an extensive study the Maldives National Disaster Management Centre identified the uninhabited island of Dhuvaafaru as the most suitable settlement location due to its topographical characteristics such as its comparatively high elevation, its size and its reef - essential for better protection against tidal surges.

The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) signed an agreement with the Government of Maldives in May 2005 to build a new community on Dhuvaafaru Island. The IFRC has funded construction of 562 houses as well as other community infrastructure such as an administrative building, a pre-school, primary school and secondary school, an auditorium, water supply and sewage systems, a sports complex, roads, and a power supply system backed up with solar energy.

Building this community on a remote island in the Indian Ocean posed an immense logistical challenge but on the 14th December the entire population of Kandholhudhoo were resettled in their new homes on Dhuvaafaru.

Discover more about this project and the achievements of the Red Cross Red Crescents tsunami operation: http://www.ifrc.org/dhuvaafaru

Year: 2008
Duration: 9 minutes 10 seconds