Aishath Shifana Wajeeh, founder of Heat Health & Fitness and Managing Director of The Wellness Club, has spent more than 20 years advancing well-being in the Maldives. An FTHub Forest Therapy Practitioner trained in Summer School Barcelona, she was guided by an early connection to the blue skies and waters of her homeland. Integrating nature-based approaches and pioneering health programs across hospitals, schools, and communities, she has been transforming physical and mental well-being at every age, with a special sensitivity toward adolescents and older adults, now applying the FTHub 5 Components of Nature-based Interventions.
Nature and the blues of sky and sea (with Blue Spaces in the center,) have remained a guiding thread throughout her life, shaping her path. Aisha has partnered with a private hospital, ADK Hospitals pvt limited, where her company offers intervention programs for lifestyle diseases and physical ability limitations through exercise, nutrition, and healthy habits. She recognized that nature connection was a missing piece in her holistic approach to health and wellness.
While traveling in Vancouver, Canada, she discovered forest therapy, which sparked her interest in incorporating nature-based practices into her work in the Maldives.
“My earliest memory is the amazing feeling that I have whenever I am in nature as a child. In the Maldives, we didn’t have high-rise buildings at the time; just houses with tin roofs. I would climb up on the roof and watch the passing clouds, and the blue sky gave me such a good feeling. I don’t know how to explain it. It’s just like you are floating, at peace, and at your best. Whenever I see the color blue, it is really very calming for me”.
“Maldives, as you know, is a string of islands scattered, like we see blue everywhere, and our islands are really small. So whenever you are out of your home and you go about, you will somehow see the sea and blue sky. Of course, we have green spaces in the islands, but not so much in the capital city”.
“As the city is being congested and more high-rise buildings are coming up, more and more green spaces are being taken over. That is something that concerns me, as a wellness coach, fitness and health practitioner, working with the public and also serving the public in the fitness and health industry for the past 22 years”.
“Recently I have partnered with a private RIV hospital. We are doing intervention programs for lifestyle diseases and physical ability limitations through exercise, healthier habits, nutrition, and other lifestyle habits that complement their health and wellness. So nature connection is something that I have always been fascinated with, and the forest bathing and forest therapy practitioner training was something that was missing, a missing piece in the work that we are doing here. »
Nature connection and intervention programmes
“Even before, while I was doing different courses in health and wellness and on how to help people be healthy and fit, there was a lot of evidence that came up showing nature is very important, because we as humans are part of nature. As we get disconnected from nature, that is where things start to get complicated, and we lose our balance. That was something I was very fascinated with even before.”
“While I was in Vancouver last year, I became very interested in exploring Forest Therapy and wanted to learn more about nature-connecting activities that help human health, and how I can incorporate these practices in my profession and in the work we are doing in Maldives. »
« There are many cases where we try to provide a holistic approach in all our intervention programs, that is, physical activity, movement, nutrition, and also nature-connecting activities, like going to the beach barefoot, walking, and getting fresh air. All these practices have resulted in documented, huge improvements in people: the way they feel, their mental health, and also factors related to non-communicable diseases, like high blood pressure. These conditions have improved significantly, and we have many cases where people feel at their best. »
“I am the Managing Director of The Wellness club. My company is Heat Health and Fitness. We are in partnership with the private Adk Hospital. We provide different programs, depending on a person’s condition. Where medical intervention is needed, we work with medical doctors. For prevention and promotion, we work independently with our programs. For intervention programs for NCDs, we collaborate with medical doctors in our lifestyle intervention programs. »
Broader impact, elder and adolescence
« Apart from that, I do awareness programs that benefit the general public, presenting programs on the importance of healthy lifestyle habits. I work with the national media like TV stations, newspapers, and online platforms, doing collaborative work in promoting healthy lifestyles. I also work with NGOs like the Diabetic Association and Society for Health Education as a resource person in their activities, including elderly care. I have special programs to help the elderly become healthier, more independent, and empowered to live life on their own. »
« They have a beautiful community, emphasizing social wellness and interaction. That is something we really need to focus on in Maldives, because the country is facing an aging population. There is a lot of work to provide a healthier, independent aging population. »
« There is a real concern here regarding mental wellness, especially among children and adolescents. It is at a level that is really very scary. The school health unit under the Education Ministry has been working hard to analyze the situation and create a plan. For the past three years, I have worked on a school health project with UNICEF. One of the key challenges identified is that children in the main city do not get enough physical activity in daily life, which impacts their wellness and well-being greatly”.
“Because of congestion, development, AI, and gadgets, children are more in a virtual world and less active. This is a huge problem right now. We are working on it, and I am hopeful for the future, but it is very challenging because progress depends on policy makers and how quickly they act. »
Ph: Courtesy: Aishath Shifana Wajeeh
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