Survey Process of Huvadhoo Master Plan Completed

Survey process of Huvadhoo Master Plan is now fully completed. The data feeding and report writing processes will be commenced in the next week.

Although CHOCO faced numerous difficulties from newly elected island councils, citing unreasonable and unfounded reasons. Some councils thought that CHOCO was seeking some funds through the survey and hence thought that they will execute such a survey and get some funding for themselves. However such ignorance was overtaken through repeated dialogue. Areas where problems from the councils arose include Gahdhoo, Kanduhulhudhoo and Madaveli. Support from G.Dh. Atoll Council, especially the president, is also extremely limited.

CHOCO would like to acknowledge the help of many of the of the Councils and local NGOs and islanders for their help through out the survey process.

The data feeding is expected to be completed by June 2011 and an exposure draft of the report is scheduled to be out by mid July 2011. The final report will be handed over to UNDP and other stakeholders and published by the end of July 2011.

Huvadhoo Masterplan Project seeks to write a developmental plan for Huvadhoo Atoll/Region. The project is funded by United Nations Development Program (UNDP).

Huvadhoo Master Plan Now Underway

Huvadhoo Master Plan project has now started. Sessions were held to provide information and give training to volunteers in CHOCO office.

The first stage of the project is surveying. Surveys will be done in every inhabited island of Huvadhoo Atoll. A sample of of not less than 5% will be taken from each island.

The survey process will be implemented by 3 groups of volunteers and they will visit the clusters of islands in each of their visits to islands. Surveying at islands is expected to take place for 3-4 days in each island. 

Volunteers Required for "Huvadhoo Master Plan" Project

CHOCO is seeking active and dedicated 12-15 volunteers to work in "Huvadhoo Master Plan" project. The main tasks will be to collect data from all the inhabited islands of Huvadhoo Atoll and summarize them into useful information for the final report. All interested volunteers, please contact Ibrahim Shiyam (9911993) to send your names and contact details.

CHOCO has chosen Athuhar Ibrahim Rasheed as the Chief Consultant for the project. Athuhar is a recent Masters graduate with excellent caliber required for the project and dedication for the NGO.

Announcement Download Here

Higahele Campaign for Local Council Elections Started

“Higahele” is a voter awareness campaign run by CHOCO , with the aims of increasing voter turn-out and providing “responsible voting” message to the public. Higahele Campaign this time is targeted to upcoming local council elections. Choco is providing information about the councils, its' responsibilities and services.

The program consists mainly of a door-to-door campaign informing the public about the importance of voting and the roles and responsibilities of island and atoll councils. The campaign was launched with a pickup ride around the island announcing the messages of responsible voting. The launching was carried out last firday, 21st January 2011. The door-to-door campaign is scheduled to start on 24th January and will run until 3rd February, when the campaign will be wrapped up with a road show.

Read More>>

Huvadhoo Master Plan Project Signed with UNDP

Choco signed the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the UNDP for Huvadhoo Master Plan Project. UNDP's Resident Coordinator, Mr Andrew Cox signed on behalf of UNDP and Choco Chairperson Saruvash Adam signed on behalf of the NGO. The project will see the development plans and visions of 18 inhabited islands of Huvadhoo atoll integrated into a do...cument, which will be presented to politicians, policy makers and researchers.

This project aims to develop such a plan which incorporates the ideas at all levels including strategies of the central government, the manifestos of politicians as wells as the visions and dreams of the resident islanders. Eventual fruition of this project will be a document that will outline a master plan and a developmental framework that is necessary in order to influence the policy makers and to provide a yard stick for policy evaluation. Collective vision summarized and classified will help to promote good governance and possibly accelerate the developmental process.

Read More>>