Short preview of Guin Batten's solo Equator crossing

We've just uploaded a short preview of a documentary we're editing of UK and Olympic rower Guin Batten's historic solo crossing of the Zero Degree Channel of the Maldives, between South Huvadhoo and Foah Mulah. Here's the YouTube link.

The Maldives has its own long tradition of rowing. People of Foah Mulah, for instance, used to row across the Equator in the past, even the longer One and Half Degree Channel. But no one is recorded as having crossed the Equatorial Channel of the Maldives solo, so Guin's feat is a landmark for rowing in the Maldives.

Women of Gahdhoo, in South Huvadhoo Atoll, even now row twice a week to their farms on the uninhabited island of Gan.

Not surprisingly, Guin got a warm welcome from the people of the area, especially Vaadhoo, from where she set off, Foah Mulah and Gahdhoo. The event also sparked interest among women and men in rowing and the newly formed Rowing Association of the Maldives, based on Thinadhoo, has big plans to develop the sport.

Hulhevi Media is hoping to complete the full documentary in May.

Maldivians on Mountains inspires more Maldivians to Everest

Nine young Maldivians have set off on a spring trek to Mount Everest Base camp, after seeing a preview of Hulhevi Media's Maldivians on Mountains. This is the largest known Maldivian team to attempt the famed second most popular trek in the Nepal Himalaya. You can follow their adventure on their blog kaalhuguibangaalhu.

The first known ascent of Kala Pattar (5,300 metres), the highest point of the trek, was by three young Maldivian women, followed by Maldivian men in 1994, 2005, and 2009. So far, three women and four men from the Maldives are known to have summitted Kala Pattar.

In this image from Maldivians on Mountains, Olympic swimmer Ahmed Imthiyaz ascends Gokyo Peak above the beautiful third lake. Maldivians on Mountains is currently in post-production and Hulhevi Media is also exploring the possibility of serialising the footage filmed for national TV.

Please remove this billboard

This billboard appears on one of the most crowded streets of Male.

Instead of representing the little girl in this image as a child, the designers appear to have made her strike a pose of a much older woman, a seductress. Although the costume worn by the little girl may seem more suited to seedy nightclubs, it is a fact that Maldivian parents often dress up their little ones in fluffs and feathers.

In this particular picture, the little girl is made to lie on a couch with her head tilted suggestively and her legs parted slightly (this part is strategically positioned in the centre of the frame).

Although this billboard is probably an extreme example it, nevertheless, is representative of a media culture in which children are often dressed up as adults and highly-sexualised. The annual TVM school song competition is a case in point with under-five-year-olds often dressed up as much older pop stars. Cameramen then tilt their cameras slowly over the bodies of the children, in what can be regarded as visual caressing.

Hulhevi Media calls for the removal of this billboard, and also takes this opportunity to ask our colleagues in the media industry to adopt ethical standards that have clear guidelines on the representation of children.