U.S. Sailors Visit Orphanage, Clean-up Beach In ViliMale

Officers and crew from the USS Rodney M. Davis, an Oliver Hazard Perry-class guided-missile frigate with the U.S. 7th Fleet, visited ViliMale on the North Male Atoll yesterday and assisted with painting and repairs at the Kudakudhinge Hiyaa orphanage. The American sailors also worked with a local environment group Save the Beach Maldives to clean up island debris later that afternoon.

With support from the Maldives National Defence Forces and the Ministry of Law and Gender, the sailors volunteered their personal “liberty” time to participate in these activities to learn more about the Maldivian people and foster friendship between the two countries. “Time off is very precious because our sailors put in long hours while we are at sea,” said Lt. Russell Wolfkiel, Public Affairs Officer for the Rodney M. Davis. “One of the highlights of deployment is the opportunity to engage with the local communities when we visit exotic ports like Maldives.”

At the orphanage, sailors brought paint and tools and repainted the interior. Special fire safety trainers also lent their expertise to service fire extinguishers and demonstrate proper usage. “This is very important for us,” said Mohamed Shafeeg, Deputy Director of Kudakudhinge Hiyaa, expressing his appreciation for the assistance of Rodney M. Davis sailors. “We are very appreciative of your team to come here and do some painting and to take some time to explain the fire alarm systems.”

A second group from the Rodney M. Davis also joined a local youth movement Save the Beach Maldives to pick up debris from the beach. These included heavy concrete pieces left over from construction projects.

“We hope more people want to help places like this in the future because it's not just a problem for Maldives here. It’s a problem for everyone around the world,” said Fathimath Thanzeela Naeem, the lead coordinator for the clean-up. “We are all connected by the ocean so I'm sure that bigger countries like the U.S. could make an impact as well."

The Rodney M. Davis departed the Maldives today, October 9th, concluding its four-day stopover. In addition to the activities on ViliMale, sailors also participated in sporting activities with the MNDF Coast Guard, building camaraderie and friendships with the local mariners. “I like being able to come overseas and help out other people and see how they live,” said Petty Officer Daniel Cornede. “Especially when it comes to cleaning up the beach, because I come from Hawaii, and this is how I was raised to pick up trash off the beach.”