Get Involved - Dhiraagu Maldives Road Race

Run for a Cause – Help Protect Children

By taking part in the race, not only do you get to excel as a participant and test your endurance, but you also get to raise awareness and contribute towards a social cause. The race is dedicated to help protect children.

Dhiraagu Maldives Road Race is the largest race held in the Maldives, bringing together people and communities from all over the country. The race acts as a significant platform for NGOs to create awareness and raise funds for the cause.

How it Helps

Dhiraagu Maldives Road Race is held in collaboration with our partner NGOs working in the area of child protection.

At the time of registration, runners have the opportunity to nominate an NGO from the list of our endorsed, partner NGOs. Dhiraagu will contribute a total of MVR 200,000 (Maldivian Rufiyaa Two Hundred Thousand only) equally between the top five NGOs nominated by the runners (MVR 40,000 (Maldivian Rufiyaa Forty Thousand only) to each of the top 5 nominated NGOs). This special grant is awarded to help NGOs kick-start their planned activities. In addition to this, MVR 100 from each participant registration and all proceeds from special bib numbers will be raised for donation and distributed equally amongst all our endorsed NGOs.

Moreover, as a participant, you can also donate funds directly to the NGOs by means of getting sponsors for your race attires.

At the day of the event, registered NGOs will have the opportunity to utilise the stalls which will be provided to conduct awareness sessions and engage with the public.

Partner NGOs

Advocating the Rights of Children (ARC)

Advocating for the Rights of Children (ARC) is a non-governmental, non-partisan, non-profit organisation that was registered in the Maldives in December 2009. ARC was established through volunteer work with children in shelters, driven by the aspiration to expand efforts across the nation and ensure that the fundamental rights of all children are respected, promoted, and protected.

ARC's main areas of focus include raising awareness and outreach programmes to promote children's rights, as well as advocating through various national and international platforms to strengthen the child protection system. ARC has successfully extended its reach to every atoll in the country and continues to expand its endeavours to cultivate a culture of action that secures a better future for every child.

Blind and Visually Impaired Society of Maldives (BVISM)

Blind & Visually Impaired Society of Maldives (BVISM) is a non-profit organisation formed on 26 January 2010. Our aim is to empower the blind and visually impaired and help them achieve their full potential within Islamic values.

We received our first NGO award in 2019 by Ministry of Gender, Family and Social Services for the “Most Active Association in the Maldives” in the disability sector.

Cancer Society of Maldives (CSM)

Cancer Society of Maldives (CSM) is a national community-based (non-profit/non-governmental) organisation formed for the purpose of reducing the incidence and impact of cancer in the Maldives. We aim to contribute towards the wellbeing of our community by creating awareness about cancer, providing support, and circulating information and resources so as to enhance the experience of people fighting against cancer. It is one of our top priorities to conduct cancer research and to create a cancer patient registered database in the Maldives.

Care Society

Care Society is a non-government organisation founded in November 1998. The main aim under Care Society’s mandate is to address the disability issues in the Maldives and to provide an open forum in the community, in which people with disabilities could participate, contribute to and benefit from.

Disability is an area that requires support, commitment, and involvement directly from all members of the community. The Care Society team is extremely passionate about the positive contribution that people with disabilities can make to the community if given the proper support and opportunities by all sectors of the nation-community, NGOs, public, private sector, and government authorities.

Child Abuse Prevention Society (CAPS)

CAPS was formed on 16 July 2009. The main cause of forming CAPS was to prevent the increasing amount of child abuse cases and the murder case of young children as well as newborn babies. Our target is to make people aware on how to work against child abuse and to cooperate with the societies and the government to prevent the habit of child abuse. Total number of 1580 members are registered at our NGO at the moment and there is an active six youth members as the board members.

Diabetes Society of Maldives (DSM)

Diabetes Society of Maldives (DSM) was established on 26 April 2000 and became a member of International Diabetes Federation in 2002, with the aim of creating awareness among the public on diabetes and to emphasise on the importance of prevention of diabetes and to help patients lead a normal life with their illness.

DSM clinic (a free clinic established in 2004) provides routine services to the registered patients – blood sugar monitoring, consultation, diabetes education, foot screening, screen for diabetic complications and referral to specialist consultations, directing exercise and counselling classes.

DSM also acts as a centre of information on diabetes by educating the community through screening programmes, presentations, and health Education. In addition, DSM works to improve diabetes care throughout the country.

Maldives Association of Persons with Disabilities (MAPD)

MAPD is a Disabled Peoples non-governmental organisation. Registered in the Ministry of Youth, Sports and Community Empowerment on 15 April 2013, registration number: T/2013/31/16 to work and advocate for the betterment of persons/children with disabilities. MAPD aims to provide an equal opportunity in health rights, education, employment, and provide protection to children with disabilities, as enjoyed by all children. MAPD also aims to create awareness on the rights of persons with disabilities as well as on the challenges facing the children with disabilities on areas such as health, education, accessibility, employment, and other areas of interest for those children and their caregivers.

With the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and ‘leave no one behind.’ MAPD also aims to provide competitive sporting opportunities for children with disabilities in association with the Ministry of Youth, Sports and Community Empowerment, Maldives Paralympic Committee, Asian Paralympic Committee and International Paralympic Committee.

Maldives Autism Association (MAA)

Maldives Autism Association (MAA) was established on 21 January 2010, to cater to children with Autism Spectrum Disorder. MAA has been actively involved in creating awareness, building capacity and paving way for early intervention. We help children from two to twelve years to overcome the challenges they face in normal classroom environments by providing children with necessary therapies and help them to achieve their full potential.

Maldivian Thalassaemia Society (MTS)

Maldivian Thalassaemia Society (MTS) is a registered non-governmental organisation active since 1994. Our aim is to enhance the quality of lives for thalassaemia patients in Maldives.

MTS was co-founded by two parents of Thalassaemia patients with support from other parents of patients realising the crucial need for a support system for the thalassaemia community in the country. MTS is governed by an executive committee consisting of a Chairperson, Vice Chairperson, General Secretary, and a Treasurer along with 10 executive members. The organisation is supported by volunteers and members who are both parents and patients. MTS has only 1 staff employed since March 2022 from funding received for administrative and technical purposes. However, much of the work commissioned is entirely voluntary as the work necessary for the smooth operation of the society cannot be solely done by a single staff.

MOMs Aid

MOMS Aid is a national charity that works with women living in poverty. We are committed to ending violence and fighting poverty so that all women in our society can create the future they want. Our mission is to guide and motivate women across the Maldives, towards a society where domestic abuse will not be tolerated and women can live free from the threat of violence and poverty.

Society for Health Education (SHE)

Society for Health Education (SHE) is a non-governmental organisation that is proactive in identifying and addressing crucial health and social concerns in the Maldives. It was founded in 1988 by four women with the mission to enhance the quality of life of Maldivian families.

With over 35 years in service, SHE continues to provide interventions in four main thematic areas, sexual and reproductive health services, counselling and psycho-social services, thalassemia-related services, and health promotion & well-being.

Tiny Hearts of Maldives

In 2008, Hishmath Faiz and Ali Muaz were blessed with their first born, a beautiful baby boy, Keyaan. He was perfect to his proud parents’ eyes. However, within days, doctors and various family members who were more experienced in child rearing noticed that Keyaan was not “crying right”. This was the beginning of continuous physical and mental stress for the parents as Keyaan underwent a barrage of medical investigations and analysis. Eventually, he was diagnosed with Congenital Heart Disease (CHD) and flown to India as cardiac treatment is limited in Maldives. After a major surgery followed by an amazing recovery, they shared an unforgettable period as a family. However, on 24 September 2008, at the tender age of two and a half months, Keyaan passed away leaving an irreplaceable void in the hearts of family. One year from this date, together with family and friends, Hishmath and Muaz decided to nurture their experience into a common good for the society. Hence, on 24 September 2009, a foundation was born.