17 children in shelters in Male’ moved to ‘Amaan Veshi’ in Eydhafushi

17 children in state shelters in suburban Vilimale’ and Hulhumale’ have been moved to the ‘Amaan Veshi’, the first of a new community centric model of shelters established in B. Eydhafushi.

According to Gender Ministry, the children were moved to the facility in Eydhafushi to provide them the opportunity to grow up in a community and family centric environment.

The children were accompanied on their journey to Eydhafushi on a Trans Maldivian Airways (TMA) seaplane earlier this Thursday by Gender Minister Aishath Mohamed Didi.

Gender Ministry said in a statement that though the government’s policy is to have all children grow up with love and caring in a family environment, some circumstances require for children to be taken into state custody.

The Gender Ministry said that their main priority is to provide children taken into state custody the opportunity to grow up in a community like other children, instead of housing them in congested shelters located in the greater Male’ region.

The ‘Amaan Veshi’ in Eydhafushi is the first such facility developed with the involvement of both relevant authorities and local community.

The Kudakudhinge Hiyaa located in Vilimale’ and the Fiyavathi in Hulhumale’ currently houses 50 children and 130 children, respectively.

Children taken into state custody are assigned to the two shelters based on their age, resulting siblings and other family members having to be separated.

Gender Ministry has stated that under in the new ‘Amaan Veshi’ model shelters being developed in the atolls, children from the same family will be housed together and will not be separated.

They will also be integrated with other families in the community.

Gender Ministry has stated that the ‘Amaan Veshi’ model shelters will house a limited number of children, ensuring they receive the special attention and care they require, and fulfil their individual needs.

Allowing them to grow up in a community centric environment will also ensure they have a smoother transition to work and normal life once they reach adulthood through future vocational training and other programs.

‘Amaan Veshi’ model shelters are being developed in four additional regions in addition to Eydhafushi.