Copyright dailypost
Anthea Arukole and Georgia Noy’s 23-year friendship started with Youth Challenge Vanuatu, when they were drawn together by a love for helping people and a stubborn belief that change is possible. This is their story. When I first came to Vanuatu in 2002, I was a young volunteer from rural Australia. Back then, my work was under Youth Challenge International, now Youth Challenge Vanuatu (YCV). I came for a six-month project but stayed on for four years, from 2002–2005, while also teaching at Port Vila International School. After eight years away, I returned in 2013 and have now lived here for about 16 years. A couple of times a year, groups of Australian and Canadian students joined Vanuatu youth volunteers to work on rural community projects in health and education. What inspired me most was seeing ni-Vanuatu youth flourish, and the cultural exchange that came from working together. At first, I thought I was just helping to build classrooms and aid posts. What I didn’t realise was that I was really building friendships that would change my life. Among them was my friendship with Anthea — strong, calm, and deeply connected to her people. Even in the early days, she carried herself like someone born to lead. I am a woman Ambae, married with four kids. I run my own shop in Port Vila – A.B.E Handicraft Haven. I’ve also served as a councillor in Port Vila City Council since 2022, for Anamburu and Melcoffee Ward. Between 1994 and 2000, I attended Fiji School of Medicine, but I decided this was not what I wanted to do. I didn’t want to work in hospitals. During bedside training, this person was taking their last breath. My tutor turned to me and said, “Dr. Anthea, what are you going to do for this person?” I was sitting there thinking, “Who am I to decide life and death for this person?” I’d rather be doing something for them before they gotto the hospital. That was a turning point for me. So, I returned to Vanuatu and started as a volunteer at Red Cross and that introduced me to the NGO world. From there I went to Youth Challenge, then Save the Children and to Oxfam. My colleagues all said, “Wow, she’s amazing. Instead of a Youth Challenge participant, Anthea could be a team leader.” We thought this not just because she was confident, but because of her empathy for other people. There was a time when Youth Challenge almost collapsed in Vanuatu. The money was gone, the office was closed, and I was sitting inside in tears, ready to give up. Then came a knock on the door. It was Anthea. I didn’t want to answer. But she kept knocking, calling out, “Oi Georgia, I know you’re in there. Open the door.” I finally let her in and told her we didn’t have enough money to keep going. Anthea looked at me and said words I’ll never forget: “Don’t worry. We’ll make it work.” And we did. She gave me courage to believe again. That was the beginning of our sisterhood. Together, with a small team of youth leaders, all working for free, we soon had enough to cover the rent for the office and youth drop-in centre. In 2003, we found various grants to keep Youth Challenge alive. That was over 20 years ago. Today, Youth Challenge is a sustained local NGO, receiving funding from Oxfam Australia, Oxfam New Zealand and various other funders. It wasn’t just about keeping the office open. It was about proving that ni-Vanuatu youth could run their own organisation. We weren’t just volunteers; we were leaders in our own right. Georgia stood with us — not above us, not ahead of us, but beside us. That made all the difference. Later, when I became the first youth officer at Oxfam and eventually its first country director, I carried that same belief. Leadership isn’t about being the boss. It’s about lifting others up, making space for new voices, especially women. I’ll never forget seeing Anthea step into that role. A ni-Vanuatu woman leading Oxfam — she was fearless. There were obstacles, yes, but she faced them with dignity. She wasn’t afraid to speak about rights, about gender, about issues people wanted to keep quiet. Sometimes we faced backlash. As women in leadership, we had to fight harder for respect. There were moments when I saw Anthea walk into rooms full of men and hold her ground with grace and fire. It inspired me too. It wasn’t easy. People think leadership is power, but really, it’s sacrifice — sometimes loneliness, sometimes criticism. I always had Georgia. We shared everything: victories, losses, even grief. When one of us felt weak, the other reminded her why we started. Georgia is the emotional one — she feels everything deeply. I’m calmer, steadier. But that’s what worked. Together, we could face anything. Once, I visited her with my Oxfam Manager and saw her give her ATM card to youth volunteers for supplies. My manager asked, “Are you sure they’ll be accountable?” Georgia replied, “If I don’t trust them with an ATM card, how will I teach them accountability?” That was something we all needed to understand, if we’re going to empower young people, we need to show that we trust them. Our friendship has gone beyond work. We’ve laughed until we cried over silly things, jogged side by side, swum in the ocean to clear our heads. We’ve sat late at night, drinking kava, talking about life, about our children, about dreams bigger than ourselves. Our families are very much linked through good times and bad times. Through both the highs and lows of life, we’ve really reached out to each other. When I became a mother, Anthea was there. My boys have grown up knowing her as family. They have an aunty in Anthea. What I treasure most isthe moments of solidarity. The times we stood side by side, believing in change when nobody else did. She calls me her sister, and that’s exactly what she is. We come from different places, but our hearts beat for the same things — dignity, respect, and opportunity for every person. Georgia is part of my family too. We’ve been through cyclones, through times of financial struggle, through moments where it felt easier to give up. But we never did. Because we had each other. The work we’ve done is about the people. It’s about watching a young girl find her voice, or a young man discover he can lead. It’s about seeing communities stand taller because someone believed in them. If there’s one thing I’ve learned on this journey, it’s that leadership is about relationships. Georgia and I have pushed each other to keep going, to stay true, to never compromise our integrity for over 20 years and we’re still standing because we stood together.
