Muraka Kudhin is collaborative effort between 18th Male’ Scout Group (Muhyiddin Scout Group), Save the Beach Maldives (STBM), Moodhu Bulha Dive Centre (MBDC) & Hertfordshire Scouts to assist in the Villimale’ reef rehabilitation and restoration efforts.

Muraka Kudhin Project involves coral rehabilitation - a process that is slow and takes several months. The project is therefore an integral part of Muraka Troop and a fixed activity in our program. While the project was initially kicked off in September 2019, the Covid Pandemic brought many challenges that limited our activities. Instead we spent 2020 training our scout divers and some knowledge and skills programs in the sea. As we begin 2021 scout year, we are poised to resume our project with trained scout divers and rest of the troop assisting in various stages of the project. The project is divided into the following phases. 

Phase 1 - Training first batch of Muraka Kudhin (diving and snorkelling lessons) with coral nursery maintenance training (6 months)

Phase 2 - Reef rehabilitation work (coral collection, planting, reef check) (1.5 years) 

Phase 3 - Training second batch of Muraka Kudhin (diving and snorkelling lessons) with coral nursery maintenance (6 months)

Phase 4 - Reef rehabilitation work (coral nursery maintenance, reef check and data collection) (1.5 years) 

So far the we have completed Phase 1 and entered into Phase 2 of the project. 

In Phase 1 and 2 the following activities were carried out. 

4 Oct 2019 - Reef Check Training was conducted to troop 

9 Oct 2019 - Basic snorkelling skills training 

19 Feb 2020 - Five scout divers began PADI OWD course 

26 Feb 2020 - Two scout divers participated in Coral Festival organised by Maldives Coral Institute 

8 Nov 2020 - Finding broken coral fragments 

2 Dec 2020 - Monitored coral in Vilimale’ coral garden 

27 Jan 2021 - Completion of PADI OWD course 

6 Feb 2021 - Identifying marine invertebrates 

In addition to this our scouts have been carrying out reef checks regularly. 

Similar activities will be carried out in the months to come and since scouts have started volunteering, the efforts to rehabilitate Vilimale’ reef is promising than ever. Currently there are no observable changes to the reef but the learning process is immense. Additionally, the continuous monitoring and data collection expands our understanding of the reef health. 

However, the end result of the project will be the following:

1. Collection of data to better inform our understanding of the reef health through continuous reef monitoring. 

2. Reef rehabilitation and restoration through coral propagation in Vilimale’ coral nursery. 

The brief timeline of the project is as follows: 

Oct 2019 - April 2021 - Eco Diver Reef Check Training through Reef Check™ (Revised due to pandemic) 

Feb 2020 - Feb 2021 - OWD course 

May 2021 - Coral Nursery maintenance training

June 2021 - Placing awareness billboard in Vilimale’ Beach 

June 2021 Onwards - Coral collection, planting, nursery maintenance, reef check, data collection