UNICEF Maldives and the United States Join Hands to Support COVID-19 Response

UNICEF Maldives, through a $750,000 grant from the United States, is supporting the Government of Maldives’ national COVID-19 response effort, in particular, by providing assistance for schools and community spaces to reopen safely.  

“In Maldives, and around the world, the United States is providing high-quality, critical, and meaningful assistance to save lives,” said U.S. Ambassador to Maldives Alaina B. Teplitz.  “Lending a helping hand during the worldwide pandemic is part of our enduring commitment to the health and wellness of Maldivians.”

This $750,000 grant is funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and implemented by UNICEF in collaboration with the Government of Maldives.  The grant will support community engagement, focusing on parents, teachers, children, and adolescents as Maldives plans to reopen schools and public spaces in addition to other services.  It will provide water, sanitation, and hygiene supplies and strengthen effective infection control for the school reopening phase.  The grant will also improve national data collection and analysis tools to support policy decisions for the well-being of Maldivian children and youth.

Dr. Munir A. Safieldin, UNICEF Representative in the Maldives, said, “We thank the United States for this generous contribution at a critical moment in the pandemic.  As lockdown measures are relaxed and services are due to gradually reopen, our efforts need to be scaled up to avoid a new surge of infections.  This support from the United States comes just at the right moment for UNICEF to continue to provide critical support to the Government of Maldives, and it will ensure that some of the most vulnerable people including children and young people are protected from COVID-19.” 

This partnership between UNICEF Maldives and USAID is part of a strong and what will be a long-lasting collaboration to support Maldives as it recovers from COVID-19.