Villa College participated in the Health Expo 2025, representing our commitment to community health education and public engagement. Organised by the Ministry of Health and held at Central Park, Hulhumalé, from 13th to 16th November, the three-day event provided an invaluable platform for our institution to demonstrate how academic expertise translates into tangible community benefit. Our Faculty of Health Sciences, School of Psychology, VCare, and Chinese Language Centre worked collaboratively to create an experience that was both educational and deeply impactful for visitors across all three days.
The Faculty of Health Sciences anchored our presence with a comprehensive range of hands-on activities designed to empower individuals with practical health knowledge. Adult and infant CPR demonstrations provided visitors with life-saving skills, whilst Virtual Reality internal organ exploration offered an innovative approach to understanding human anatomy and physiology. General health screenings formed the cornerstone of our preventive health approach, complemented by first-aid and emergency response awareness sessions that equipped attendees with essential knowledge for critical situations. Nutrition and healthy lifestyle counselling addressed the growing need for dietary guidance in our communities, whilst blood pressure and BMI checks gave visitors immediate insights into their personal health status. Interactive health puzzles encouraged critical thinking about wellbeing, transforming complex health concepts into engaging learning opportunities that resonated with diverse age groups.
Mental health awareness formed another crucial dimension of our contribution to the expo. The School of Psychology extended its reach significantly through psychological wellbeing screenings that helped visitors understand their mental health status in a supportive, non-judgemental environment. Stress and anxiety checks provided immediate assessment tools, whilst mindfulness and grounding exercises offered practical techniques for managing daily pressures. Interactive discussions on emotional regulation fostered deeper conversations about mental wellness, creating spaces where visitors could explore strategies for maintaining psychological balance. These broader mental health awareness sessions addressed the often-overlooked aspects of holistic health, reinforcing the message that mental wellbeing is as vital as physical health.
VCare's involvement added another essential layer to our comprehensive approach. Through wellbeing counselling and stress-relief activities, the team created safe spaces for visitors to explore their emotional needs and learn practical coping strategies. Perhaps most importantly, the guidance provided on accessing support services helped demystify the pathways available for those seeking emotional and psychological assistance. This practical information bridged the gap between awareness and action, ensuring that visitors left the expo not just informed but equipped with concrete steps for accessing help when needed.
The Chinese Language Centre brought a unique cultural perspective to health and wellness conversations. Chinese herbal tea tasting introduced visitors to traditional wellness practices rooted in centuries of cultural knowledge, whilst calligraphy demonstrations showcased the meditative and therapeutic aspects of this ancient art form. Interactive activities allowed participants to explore the intersection of language learning and wellness traditions, demonstrating how cultural exchange enriches our understanding of holistic health approaches. This integration of cultural perspectives reinforced the universal nature of wellness whilst celebrating the diverse pathways different traditions offer for achieving it.
Beyond the interactive activities, the expo featured a series of panel discussions that addressed some of the most pressing health challenges facing our communities. Topics included adapting to change through addressing population health challenges amid demographic shifts, diabetes management across different life stages, mental health considerations in humanitarian emergencies, and the revolutionary impact of digital health technologies on healthcare delivery. A dedicated Dhivehi panel on population health challenges ensured that local contexts and linguistic accessibility remained central to these important conversations. These discussions brought together experts, practitioners, and community members to explore solutions and share insights on complex health issues affecting the Maldives.
The sustained public engagement throughout all three days underscored the community's appetite for accessible, practical health education. Visitors returned across multiple days, bringing family members and friends, creating a ripple effect of health awareness that extended far beyond the expo grounds. For our staff and students, the event provided an exceptional opportunity to apply their knowledge in real-world settings, develop communication skills across diverse audiences, and witness firsthand the impact of health education on individual lives. These experiences strengthen the connection between academic learning and community service, reinforcing our institutional commitment to producing graduates who are not only knowledgeable but also deeply engaged with the communities they serve.
Villa College's involvement in Health Expo 2025 reflects our broader vision of education as a catalyst for positive social change. By bringing together expertise from health sciences, psychology, counselling services, and cultural studies, we demonstrated that addressing community health requires multidisciplinary collaboration and a willingness to meet people where they are. The event reinforced our role not merely as an educational institution but as an active partner in building healthier, more resilient communities across the Maldives. As we continue to expand our community engagement initiatives, the connections forged and lessons learned at this expo will inform our approach to public health education and strengthen our capacity to serve as a trusted resource for health and wellbeing information.
