As I boarded the plane to the Maldives, I couldn’t help but feel a sense of excitement mixed with curiosity. While most people were eager to hit the beaches and resorts, I was more interested in exploring the backstage of this beautiful island country. As soon as I landed at the Male airport, I was struck by the sight of numerous seaplanes, ferryboats, speedboats, and liveaboards buzzing around to cater to the half a million tourists who visit the Maldives every year.

Next to the airport spans the artificial island of Hulhumale which expands at a breathtaking pace to accommodate the ever-growing population of the Maldives, which currently stands at around 540,000 people. However, with such rapid development came its own set of challenges.

One of the most pressing issues was the massive amount of waste generated every day – a whopping 800 tons. All of it ends up on the man-made island Tilafushi where only around 4% is recycled while the rest of it was burned. The island was made in 1991 for the sole purpose of becoming a landfill. And that’s what it was for 30 years, with no plans for improvement. It became a significant problem really fast.

This unsustainable practice was taking a heavy toll on the fragile marine ecosystem, prompting the launch of the Greater Male Environmental Improvement and Waste Management project in 2018. I was eager to see the progress made under this initiative, so I teamed up with a local friend who organised a trip to Tilafushi for me.