Nelly

My journey into youth development began when I joined Youth Challenge Vanuatu as a Youth Development Officer – my first job straight after high school. At 24, everything about the role felt new and intimidating, and English was not my strongest language because I am a French speaker.

Many times, before even sending an email, I would walk over to Nicolette and ask her to check it. Those little moments helped my language skills and to grow my confidence. But what stayed with me most was how naturally she supported me and everyone around her.

Nicolette

I grew up in Queensland, Australia, and I first arrived in Vanuatu in2006 as a volunteer through the Australian Youth Ambassadors for Development program. I was a social worker in Australia and what was meant to be a short experience turned into a life-changing journey that has kept me connected to Vanuatu for more than 20 years.

When I began working alongside Nelly, I was supposed to be the technical advisor helping to build the team’s capacity. But Nelly became the one building mine. Her commitment and integrity were extraordinary. From the beginning, I knew she was someone special.

Nelly

One thing that impressed me about Nicolette was how passionate she was about youth development. Simple things like helping them to write a CV or a school application made such a difference.

The Youth Challenge International program brought many young volunteers from Australia and Canada for about a month or two at a time to work with communities in Vanuatu.

Those projects were never about building things. They were about mutual learning, sharing and giving young people in Vanuatu opportunities. I was focused on recruiting urban youth, especially those who had dropped out of school. Many of them were just searching for purpose and, with our support, they began to believe in themselves again.

Nicolette

Working with young people through Youth Challenge Vanuatu was one of the most rewarding experiences of my career. We worked closely with communities on projects like building water tanks, improving sanitation and promoting healthy living.

But the most meaningful work was helping young people rediscover their confidence.

Many of them had been overlooked or underestimated and seeing them grow through the programs was incredibly powerful. Nelly was always at the heart of that transformation.

Nelly

In those early days, funding was always a struggle and sometimes we had no choice but to organise fundraisers ourselves just to keep our ni-Vanuatu youth into the programs. We washed cars on the street and organised other small fundraising events to help support our activities.

There were also times when we worked completely as volunteers. But our team believed deeply in the work we were doing, and that passion kept us going.

Nicolette

Resources were limited in those days. At one point, even our office printer broke down, and we couldn’t afford to replace it for months. Simple things became big challenges.

But those struggles also forced us to be creative and resilient. Every small achievement felt like a huge victory.

Nelly

Another challenge was communication. Many of the communities we worked in didn’t have reliable phone access. Before bringing youth teams to the field, we would visit villages to run surveys to find out who owned a phone, on which we could depend.

Planning those projects required patience and careful coordination. Safety was always our priority. Especially when young people were travelling far from home.

Nicolette

Working in a new country also meant learning to navigate a completely different culture. There were many moments when I realised things worked differently from what I was used to in Australia. I had so many learning curves along the way.

But Nelly was always patient with me. She helped me understand the culture, the community dynamics and the best way to move forward. Without her guidance, I would have struggled much more.

Nelly

One of our biggest ideas came when we realised many organisations across Vanuatu were running youth programs separately. We thought we would have a much more powerful impact if everyone worked together.

So, Nicolette and I began discussing the idea of forming a network. That idea eventually became the Vanuatu Youth Inter-Agency Group (VYIAG).

Nicolette

Creating the VYIAG around 2006 and 2007 became one of our greatest achievements. The goal was simple: bring organisations together to collaborate, share ideas and avoid duplicating programs. That network later evolved into the Vanuatu National Youth Council. Seeing that legacy continue today, and its integrity maintained over the years, is incredibly meaningful.

Nelly

We recruited about 40 urban youth annually through the programs. Many of them had little confidence when they first joined. But by the end of the programs, you could see the difference in their attitudes and ambitions.

They gained skills, leadership experience and a sense of purpose. Some even went on to continue their education or find employment. For me, that impact made every challenge worthwhile.

Nicolette

One of the things I admire most about Nelly is her leadership. She is dynamic, strong and very capable. Her motivation never fades.

We share the same vision about empowering young people and creating opportunities for them. In many ways, she became my mentor as much as my colleague. She truly is my hero.

Nelly

Over time, our professional relationship grew into something deeper. We began sharing parts of our lives beyond work. I remember taking Nicolette to visit my family in Port Vila in 2005 and 2006. And then in 2009, she honoured me by attending our wedding. Her presence on that day was more than a gesture, it was one of the greatest gifts I could have received, and it is a memory I continue to treasure. Later, when we had a project in Tanna, I introduced her to my husband’s family as well. Those moments helped strengthen the bond between us.

Nicolette

Our friendship also had its lighter moments. One thing I will never forget is Nelly’s laugh. Whenever she bursts out laughing, it’s impossible not to laugh with her.

And then there’s what we call our “eyebrow conversations.” In Vanuatu, people often communicate by raising their eyebrows. At first it felt strange to me but over time, Nelly and I could hold entire conversations with our expressions and without saying a word!

Nelly

Even after all these years, that unspoken understanding between us is still there. We built our work on trust, respect and open communication, and those values shaped everything we did together. And they continue to guide the way I work today.

Nicolette

Although I eventually returned to Australia, Vanuatu will always feel like a second home to me – the friendships, the experiences and the lessons I learned there will stay with me forever.

Nelly remains one of the most important people in my journey. Our work together was never just about projects. It was about people.

Nelly

Today I work as the Program Quality, Communication and Inclusion Lead for the Vanuatu Australian Health Partnership. The lessons I learned from those early years still guide me. But more importantly, the friendship we built continues to grow.

I often say Nicolette is more than a colleague. She is like a sister to me. And in many ways, she has become part of my family.

Nicolette

No matter where life takes us, the connection we built through our work in youth development will always remain. Our friendship is proof that meaningful partnerships can cross cultures, languages and borders.

I am proud and excited to invite her to bear witness to my wedding in Australia this year. She is a key figure in my life, and I want to share this special moment with her.

SOURCE: VANUATU DAILY POST