Island: Efate & PNG

At 47, Relvie Poilapa stands as an influential woman in community development, leadership and media governance. With roots in Mele, Efate and Papua New Guinea, her story is one of cross-cultural strength, personal resilience and over two decades of dedication to the people of Vanuatu.

Relvie’s early years were shaped between Vanuatu and Australia. After completing Class 6 at Central School, she moved to Melbourne where she attended St Leonard’s College. Upon graduating, she returned to Vanuatu for a year, working in the hospitality sector before enrolling at the University of Western Sydney to study hospitality.

However, Relvie’s path would soon shift toward community and social development. “When I returned to Vanuatu in 2001, I started to work in social development areas,” she says. At 24, she joined the Foundation for the People of the South Pacific (FSP), marking the beginning of her journey in the non-governmental sector.

From 2018 to 2024, Relvie served as Portfolio Manager for Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) at World Vision.

“The WASH sector taught me how men and women can have different needs. For instance, when building toilets, men don’t often consider that women need proper washrooms during their periods. You need a balanced perspective to meet everyone’s needs.”

Currently, Relvie is the Vice-Chairlady of the Vanuatu Broadcasting and Television Corporation (VBTC), a role she’s held since September 2023. “Our board is set up to give advice to the current CEO of VBTC and ensure everything is in the best interest of the organisation,” she explains.

“As a woman, I have different perspectives, and I often speak my mind so we can work together as a board committee to find solutions.”

She says, “Media comes under the Prime Minister’s Office, so we have to ensure our programs are run with good leadership.”

Relvie first became involved in media during VAN2017 as a Marketing Coordinator, working closely with outlets like Daily Post, FM107 and VBTC.

“Media is essential to ensure people receive the right information in a timely and accurate way,” she says.

When the December earthquake struck, the damage to the old VBTC building had a deep impact. “Many of our staff were traumatised. We are always on the frontline in every disaster, but it’s hard to balance our own mental health and keep up with the news. I am not afraid, but concerned about our staff’s well-being.”

A mother of four, aged between 12 and 24, Relvie understands the need for balance. “Sometimes when you’re stuck, you need to let go for a while, rewind and change the topic before getting back on track.”

Relvie is also the co-founder of two NGOs — ‘Voes Blong Yumi’, which played a critical role in the referendum campaign, and ‘Vanuatu Family Medical Assistance Society’, which advocates for improved cancer medical services. She serves as Vice Treasurer and Operations Director respectively.

In the sports world, she recently became Vice President of the Oceania Federation, after previously serving as Secretary and then President of the Hockey Federation.

Relvie’s leadership approach is also shaped by powerful women in her life.

“I don’t have one inspirational person, but a few — mostly strong female role models like my mother and her close friends. I love witnessing the journey of young women building themselves up. I’m proud when they seek my advice to learn.”

Relvie acknowledges that gender barriers remain. Her hope is that more men create space for diverse voices.

“In Shefa, I’ve been given that space by my people. I didn’t have to fight as hard as some other women in other provinces,” she notes.

And if today were her last day? “God alone,” she says without hesitation.

“Get yourself right with God and everything will be perfect. At the end of the day, your strength will come from God only.”

This feature story is part of a series presenting 26 Vanuatu women who serve on boards, profiled in Balance of Power’s (BoP) book Nation Builders III.

The series is the outcome of a six-month partnership between BoP and the Vanuatu Daily Post to recognise women leaders, build awareness of women’s leadership in Vanuatu and encourage wider acknowledgement of their contributions across development and decision-making spaces.

SOURCE: VANUATU DAILY POST