Living in Harmony Social development is the key to living a life of harmony is a theme that many communities are tinkering

with in a new questioning of the economic paradigm that the world is enthralled in. Where there is money, there will be development, has been for a very long time the edict that we all followed. But we are beginning to realize that however much money a nation makes, there is never adequate distribution of this for the masses to breathe easy. Economic polarization is rampant whether in the so-called developed or developing world. And human greed will not allow the wealth of a nation to be distributed evenly. Why not? The rich need the poor to feel the difference! For the rich to be visible, there have to be the poor. The haves and have-not are but just the two sides of the coin. If there were only rich, there will not be any duality. And this world exists in duality. Thus social programs that celebrate the virtues of sharing and caring demonstrating this ideal of love and compassion can only come about with starting at the bottom with children; educating them, and imbuing them with the confidence of knowing one can be what one seeks to be. The world will be a better place with more compassion and love. And that side of the duality must become the tipping factor; not allowing the power of social decadence to become the status quo. 4H school programs, civic education, and showering youth with the confidence to do good is the change that we must seek to leave behind always. Abdul Sattar Yoosuf (Editor)

Newsletter of the International Center for Environment, Development and Operational Research Number 7
June was a month of many activities and some of it thus spills into this July newsletter: To a request from the Ministry of Home Affairs, ENDEVOR was available to give a lecture to the participants of their program on civic education to their staff on 20 June 2013. Our focus here was on the role of the public in the democratic process; that they were the stewards of democracy as the legitimacy for governance to the leaders came from the public. About 20 officials and staff of the Ministry were present at this session, and it was well received. On 25 June, Executive director was invited to provide advice to the Institute of Health Sciences in their planning for introducing a Masters program on Public Health. This was later followed up a couple of weeks later with the wider discussion on the curriculum content and related academic aspects of the program to be launched from 2014. Executive Director Dr Abdul Sattar Yoosuf was invited to be keynote speaker at the Public Health Promotion Networks meeting organized by the Ministry of Health 26 June 2013. ENDEVORs presentation focused on national health services of Maldives in the past and the challenges for the future. The health Minister and WHO Representative also attended the inauguration. The participants appreciated the content of the presentation that highlighted many forgotten events of the past that reflected the selfless service the health workers of the past had provided upon which the health of Maldives now stands. Yet, the challenges of the future lie in the advent of NCDs and the needed effort to steer yet again towards prevention rather than cure only. The 4H school idea was sought yet again this time by the Ghazee School of Hulhumale. ENDEVOR Executive Director presented the concept and opportunities for practice to a large audience of the schools teachers and administrative officials on 27 June, 2013. This was well received. Yet the issue of mainstreaming this idea in the national curriculum posed policy and administrative challenges that can be overcome but with a good degree of commitment by the school management and government encouragement. The key operational technical challenge they all agreed on was about the new skills that the teachers would have to re-learn and also the converting of parental mind-sets away from seeking mere A reports. On 29 June 2013, Dr Abdul Sattar Yoosuf was invited to be chief guest at the Inter-school Singing Competition. This function was held at the Olympus cinema hall, and was attended by many big local music scene names of the past and present also invited there to be part of the celebration of young singing talent.

July, 2013