HA. KELAA, Maldives — The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), in collaboration with the Kelaa Island Council, is conducting an Island Disaster Management Plan (IDMP) formulation workshop and Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) Induction Training in Ha. Kelaa from 16–20 August 2026.

The activities are being conducted as part of NDMA’s Community-Based Resilience Building (CBRB) Programme, which aims to strengthen disaster preparedness and response capacities at the community level.

The first three days of the programme are focused on developing Kelaa’s Island Disaster Management Plan, bringing together relevant stakeholders and community representatives to strengthen the island’s preparedness and establish a coordinated approach to disaster management.

The final two days will focus on CERT Induction Training, equipping community volunteers and relevant stakeholders with basic skills and knowledge to support emergency response during disasters.

An emergency response drill will also be conducted on the final day of the training, allowing participants to put their knowledge and skills into practice in a simulated emergency situation.

Director of Programmes, Research and Advocacy at NDMA, Hassan Ziyau, said the broader objective of the programme is to make islands more resilient to disasters by strengthening community preparedness through planning, training and practical exercises.

“Our broader aim is to make our islands more resilient to disasters and better prepared to respond when emergencies occur. This requires not only having a plan, but also ensuring that communities have the knowledge, skills and capacity to act,” Ziyau said.

He noted that NDMA has already supported the development of Island Disaster Management Plans in more than 72 inhabited islands, and said the Authority will continue expanding the initiative to other islands across the country.

The Kelaa programme follows a similar implementation recently conducted in K. Guraidhoo, where NDMA piloted the revised CBRB approach through IDMP development and CERT training.

Through the CBRB Programme, NDMA is working to strengthen community-level disaster preparedness by combining risk-informed planning, community capacity-building, emergency response training and practical drills.

The activities in Kelaa will conclude on 20 August 2026 with the emergency response drill, marking another step towards building stronger and more disaster-resilient island communities across the Maldives.