Ali Naafiz was born on the Maldivian island of Velidhoo in the Noonu Atoll and is a freelance journalist. After his studies at Sri Lanka College of Journalism in Colombo and at the Indian Institute for Mass Communication in New Delhi, he returned to the Maldives. Naafiz was assistant editor for ten years at the oldest newspaper of the Maldives, Haveeru, and now works as an independent consultant for Maldivian publications. He lives in Malé.