Dhiraagu Road Race raises over MVR 600,000 for children’s rights groups

Dhiraagu has donated more than MVR 600,000 to 13 child protection organizations through this year’s Dhiraagu Maldives Road Race.

At an awards ceremony for race participants, the company handed over a total of MVR 678,800 to NGOs working in child protection and inclusion. Bishara Hameed, Dhiraagu’s Senior Manager for Corporate Social Responsibility, said the annual event is held under the theme of protecting and safeguarding children, with this year’s run organized in partnership with 13 NGOs.

Runners were able to nominate an NGO of their choice during registration. The five groups that received the highest number of nominations; Cancer Society of Maldives, Tiny Hearts of Maldives, Maldives Autism Association, Maldives Thalassemia Society and Advocating the Rights of Children (ARC); each received MVR 76,831, totaling MVR 200,000.

In addition, MVR 100 from each registration kit and MVR 478,800 raised from special bib numbers were shared among all partner NGOs. Seven other endorsed organizations, including the Child Abuse Prevention Society, Blind and Visually Impaired Society of Maldives, Care Society, Moms Aid, Society for Health Education, Wheelchair Association of Maldives and Diabetes Society of Maldives, each received MVR 36,831.

Dhiraagu Maldives Road Race is the country’s first and only international running event, listed on the Association of International Marathons and Distance Races (AIMS) World Running Calendar with a World Athletics-certified route.

Dhiraagu said it met a key sustainability target this year by offsetting 100 percent of the race’s electricity consumption through a grid-tied solar system. Next year’s event is scheduled for 30 October.