Dhiraagu and Soneva CSM Team Up for Reef Conservation

Dhiraagu has announced a new environmental partnership with Soneva Conservation & Sustainability Maldives (Soneva CSM) to support the Dhirun Community Coral Regeneration Programme in Baa Dharavandhoo.

The joint initiative aims to establish a community-led model for coral reef restoration. It combines the scientific and technical expertise of Soneva CSM—a Maldivian-registered non-governmental organisation dedicated to marine research, ecosystem conservation, and local stewardship—with active involvement and capacity building from the local island community. Project organizers will implement the initiative in Dharavandhoo alongside local NGO Muraka Farm and island residents to cultivate self-sustaining local skills.

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Located near Hanifaru Bay within the UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, Dharavandhoo relies heavily on its surrounding coral reefs to sustain its local fisheries, tourism sector, and general economic livelihoods. To strengthen the long-term health and climate resilience of the island’s marine ecosystem, the programme incorporates several key operational deliverables.

First, project leaders will train between 10 and 15 community members in practical, hands-on techniques for coral restoration and ongoing reef monitoring. The team will also set up a dedicated community coral nursery consisting of roughly 30 to 50 nursery structures to facilitate ongoing coral propagation and subsequent outplanting. Additionally, organizers plan to engage local youth through educational sessions and public awareness campaigns. These training activities and community engagement efforts will lead directly into physical restoration works and a dedicated community festival on Dharavandhoo later this year.

Commenting on the initiative during the launch event, Bishaara Hameed, Senior Manager of Corporate Social Responsibility at Dhiraagu, highlighted the importance of local empowerment. “We are pleased to partner with Soneva CSM to support this important programme for and with the Dharavandhoo community, together with Muraka Farm,” Hameed said. “What makes this initiative particularly meaningful is its community-led approach, which builds local knowledge and skills to support sustainable coral restoration and long-term stewardship, creating lasting environmental impact and strengthening our marine ecosystems for generations to come.”

Johanna Leonhardt (PhD), Director of Operations at Soneva CSM, emphasised that permanent environmental improvements require deep-rooted local participation. “For restoration to have meaningful, long-term impact, it cannot simply be delivered to a community and then left behind; the knowledge, skills and ownership need to remain within that community,” Dr Leonhardt explained. “Dhirun is therefore focused on building practical local capacity so that coral restoration, monitoring and stewardship can increasingly be led and sustained from Dharavandhoo itself. We hope this creates not only lasting impact for the island’s reef, but also a model for community-led reef regeneration that can be adapted elsewhere in the Maldives.”

Environmental protection and ocean conservation remain core focus areas within Dhiraagu’s broader corporate social responsibility strategy, through which the company seeks to empower local communities and build environmental resilience across the archipelago.