1. From the Bare Necessities 

The UN's presence in the Maldives began in March 1978 with the opening of the first UNDP Office in Malé. At the time, the Maldives faced extreme poverty, limited access to safe drinking water, proper nutrition, and severe health issues, including a Cholera epidemic affecting 1 in 12 people. UNDP’s early efforts included deploying a motorboat named Sul-ha (meaning peace) to reach remote atolls, addressing critical challenges such as resource scarcity and limited education access.