Dhauru

Welcome to this week’s episode of Ehbasve Dhebasvamaa. Today, Hiriga Ahmed Zahir and Mohamed Usham are joined by Ashia Leela Ahmed (Leela), Dean of Students at The Maldives National University (MNU), for a conversation on education, curriculum reform and how schools and universities can better prepare young people for life beyond the classroom.

As discussions continue around the future of education in the Maldives, Leela shares her perspective on where reforms are needed, how the syllabus can evolve to meet the changing needs of students, and why academic knowledge alone is not enough to prepare young people for the challenges they will face.

In this conversation, Leela explores the importance of equipping students with practical life skills alongside their formal education, and discusses how the education system can better support young people as they move into higher education, employment and adulthood.

In this full episode, we discuss:

- Reforms needed within the Maldivian education system.

- How the school syllabus can be adapted to better serve students.

- The balance between academic learning and practical skills.

- Why life skills should form a stronger part of students’ education.

- Preparing young Maldivians for higher education, employment and life beyond the classroom.

Subscribe to Dhauru News for weekly unfiltered conversations and deep dives into the issues shaping the Maldives.

Welcome to a brand new episode of Ehbasve Dhebasvamaa. Today, hosts Naaif Ahmed and Hiriga Ahmed Zahir take a deeper look at one of the Maldives’ most persistent challenges: corruption, how it takes root, and how it spreads through different levels of governance.

We are joined by Ismail Sajid, former head of the Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU) at the Maldives Monetary Authority (MMA), to examine corruption not simply as a series of isolated cases, but as a systemic problem shaped by institutions, political influence, weak accountability and the way power is exercised.

Drawing on his experience within the country’s financial intelligence framework, Sajid discusses how corruption can become embedded within systems, why efforts to tackle it often fall short, and what happens when accountability mechanisms themselves are weakened.

In this full episode, we discuss:

-The Roots of Corruption: How corruption becomes entrenched within institutions and governance structures.

-The Systemic Problem: Why corruption cannot be addressed by focusing only on individual cases or individuals.

-Following the Money: The role of financial intelligence, oversight and enforcement in identifying suspicious financial activity and protecting public institutions.

-Accountability and Influence: How political and institutional pressures can affect efforts to investigate and prevent corruption.

-Corruption at Every Level: How weaknesses within one part of the governance system can spread across institutions and undermine public trust.

Subscribe to Dhauru News for weekly unfiltered analysis and deep dives into the stories shaping the Maldives.

Welcome to a brand new episode of Ehbasve Dhebasvamaa. Today, hosts Naaif Ahmed and Hiriga Ahmed Zahir connect two massive economic issues threatening the backbone of the Maldivian economy: the new OTA tax and the ongoing dollar shortage.

We are joined by Mohamed Shaaz Waleed, founder of Resort Life Maldives, to unpack the reality on the ground. The government has repeatedly pointed fingers at the tourism sector, accusing businesses of hiding foreign currency and triggering the national USD crisis. But at the same time, the state has passed the "Destination Principle" tax on foreign booking platforms like Agoda and Booking.com. Because these billion-dollar companies won't pay out of pocket, the tax burden will fall directly onto local guesthouses through higher commissions—squeezing their margins even further.

In this full episode, we discuss:-The USD Scapegoat: Is it fair to blame the tourism sector for the dollar crisis while government debt skyrockets?-The Commission Trap: How the new OTA tax will force Agoda and Booking.com to hike fees for local guesthouses.-The Mid-Market Collapse: Why these combined pressures will make the Maldives too expensive for budget travelers, pushing them to Sri Lanka and Bali.-The "One-Size-Fits-All" Flaw: Why policies designed to tax luxury resorts are actively destroying small island businesses.

Subscribe to Dhauru News for weekly unfiltered analysis and deep dives into the stories shaping the Maldives.

In Episode 35 of Ehbasve Dhebasvamaa, Imthiyaz Fahmy (Inthi) draws on his 15 years of parliamentary experience to expose the systemic flaws within our legislature. We explore how the Majlis has become a "rubber stamp" for the government, failing to adequately question the state on critical issues like national debt, healthcare, and social protection.

The conversation tackles the toxic culture of citizens begging MPs for personal favors—like jobs, money, and medical help—and how this dependency opens the door for wealthy businessmen to control parliament. We also question the ethics of MPs setting their own salaries and post-term benefits, and debate powerful reforms: Should the 5-year term be shortened? Should we have mid-term elections? And is it time to give citizens a "recall mechanism" to remove their MPs?

Listen to this hard-hitting 45-minute episode now. A Dhauru original production.

We thought the toxic smoke from Thilafushi was a thing of the past. However, recent fires have exposed the severe capacity limits and systemic failures of our current waste management strategy.

In this episode of Ehbasve Dhebasvamaa, hosts Naaif Ahmed and Hiriga Ahmed Zahir sit down with Afrah Ismail, Co-founder of Zero Waste Maldives. Together, they break down the uncomfortable reality of Malé's mounting garbage problem and discuss why simply dumping waste onto an island is no longer a viable solution.

In this episode, we discuss:

The Thilafushi Reality: The recent fires and what they reveal about our waste capacity limits. 

Infrastructure Delays: The setbacks in Waste-to-Energy (WTE) projects and large-scale incinerators. 

Household Habits: Why source segregation (separating plastics, glass, and organics) is failing at the community level. 

Single-Use Plastics: Our cultural reliance on disposable plastics and how to break the cycle. 

The Circular Economy: How upcycling, creative recycling, and Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) can turn waste into an economic opportunity. 

Listen to this essential conversation on the future of our environment now. A Dhauru original production.

Watch the full video version of this episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/H-wiCUgx7bE

With Huvan Band’s upcoming show on the 15th of August, band members Po and Yoosuf reflect on how the band came together and the making of their debut album ‘Mithan’.

Has the Maldivian drug crisis evolved faster than our national response? While chemical synthetics like Meth and party drugs flood the streets—causing alarming spikes in drug-induced psychosis—our rehabilitation framework remains stuck in outdated models built for a previous generation.

In Episode 33 of Ehbasve Dhebasvamaa, hosts Naaif Ahmed and Hiriga Ahmed Zahir sit down with Ali Adeeb—Internationally Certified Addiction Professional, Global Recovery Coach, and Master Trainer in Drug Demand Reduction from NGO 'Journey'.

Together, they break down the uncomfortable realities of the crisis and where the system is failing those seeking recovery.

In this episode:

Operating in the Dark: The total lack of up-to-date, evidence-based national research on circulating substances.

The Shift to Synthetics: How Meth and party drugs are replacing heroin and creating severe mental health challenges among youth.

Outdated Rehab Models: Why traditional detox centers cannot treat psychological and synthetic addiction.

The Relapse Trap: Why the absence of community aftercare networks leaves recovering individuals without support.

Overhauling NDA: What it will take to transform state policy from reactive enforcement into a functioning public health strategy.

Listen to this hard-hitting, essential conversation now. A Dhauru original production.

Watch the full video version of this episode on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MdrJf22CNkM&feature=youtu.be

Why are young Maldivians stepping back from traditional economic roles, and is it fair to label an entire generation as "lazy"?

In Episode 32 of Ehbasve Dhebasvamaa, hosts Naaif Ahmed and Hiriga Ahmed Zahir are joined by vocational education expert Mohamed Nazeef and youth journalist Ibrahim Maahil Mohamed. We break down the systemic barriers facing young people today—from unaffordable housing in Malé to the gap between education and employment. We explore how today's youth are channeling their discipline into fitness and self-care, how they redefine independence in a globalized economy, and why the nation needs to mentor its youth instead of lecturing them.

Listen to the full, hard-hitting conversation now. A Dhauru original production.

Welcome to Episode 31 of Ehbasve Dhebasvamaa. Today, hosts Naaif Ahmed and Hiriga Ahmed Zahir tackle the daily nightmare of Malé’s urban gridlock.

We are joined by Hussain Ziyath, Urbanist and President of the Association of Maldivian Planners, to analyse the physical and economic carrying capacity of the capital. We dive deep into the statistics and policies driving the congestion, analysing everything from time and fuel wasted in traffic to the controversial "garage letter" system. Has Malé officially exceeded its capacity, or is this just decades of terrible traffic management?

In this full episode, we discuss:

-The transition of Malé from a walking city to a heavily motorised urban centre.

-The economic cost of congestion, including lost time and logistics impacts.

-Whether public transport like RTL buses can solve gridlock without strict limits on car imports.

-Decentralisation vs. the continuous expansion of the Greater Malé Region.

Subscribe to Dhauru News for weekly unfiltered analysis and deep dives into the stories shaping the Maldives.

Welcome to Episode 30 of Ehbasve Dhebasvamaa. Today, hosts Naaif Ahmed and Hiriga Ahmed Zahir tackle one of the most pressing existential threats to the Maldives: extreme climate events and the impending Super El Niño.

We are joined by Thahumeena, a weather forecaster from the MET Office, to break down exactly what these massive climate shifts mean for our islands. From erratic and severe weather patterns to the crucial importance of early warning systems, we discuss the harsh realities of climate change and how the MET Office is fighting to ensure the public remains informed and prepared.

In this full episode, we discuss:-The science and immediate dangers of the Super El Niño effect on the Maldives.-The broader impacts of climate change on our environment and economy.-The challenges the MET Office faces in forecasting extreme weather.-Why public awareness and early warnings are the first line of defense.Subscribe to Dhauru News for weekly unfiltered analysis and deep dives into the stories shaping the Maldives.