From Policy to Partnership

Australian volunteer Sarah James first met Director Antoine Ravo in Port Vila in late 2018. Sarah was volunteering with Vanuatu’s Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (DARD) as a Policy and Planning Support Officer in Agricutlure. At the time, both were stepping into new roles, and neither could have predicted the potential of their collaboration to develop and strengthen the DARD.

Prior to connecting with Director Ravo, Sarah had worked closely with the previous director in 2016 to design a volunteer role aligned with departmental needs. The timing wasn’t right for Sarah to take on a new role herself as she was about to go on maternity leave with her third child. When the role went unfilled and was readvertised at a more suitable time in her life, Sarah seized the opportunity to once again contribute to the vision of the Department.

In November 2016, Director Ravo was appointed as Director of Agriculture, and the colleagues’ working relationship began while they were both getting established in their roles.

That fresh start turned out to be a blessing.

‘Sarah came in at the right time’, recalls Director Ravo. ’I needed someone with experience; someone I could trust to support my vision for the department. She fit perfectly. Not just in experience, but in spirit. She understood the real culture of Vanuatu and what ni-Vanuatu people want. I was excited because I was also new to the position.’

From the beginning, Sarah and Director Ravo's collaboration was focused on practical outcomes and grounded in mutual respect. One of their earliest achievements was drafting the Department’s first business plan – ’a foundational document that helped pave the way for stronger internal planning and reporting systems—templates and processes we co-designed that were later adopted at the national level,’ Sarah explains.

For Director Ravo, the real value wasn’t just in the paperwork - it was in the way Sarah embedded herself within the team.

‘She wasn’t just an adviser who sat on the sidelines’, he says. ‘She worked beside us, shared ideas, helped solve problems. It was teamwork. It was a willingness to understand each other to be supportive and encouraging.’

Their partnership also sparked change beyond agriculture. Together, they convened the Department’s first Women’s Forum, which laid the foundation for the Ministry’s first Gender Action Plan. They also collaborated on the Reintegration Policy with the Department of Labour - critical groundwork that informed the national approach now in place.

’When we look back,’ Director Ravo says, ’those changes were possible because we had open communication. We trusted each other.’

Trust is a word that comes up often in their story.

‘I learned that in Vanuatu, the strength of an organisation is built not just on policies and plans,’ says Sarah. ’It’s built on the social fabric that connects people—on the respect for family, community, and culture. Weddings, funerals, and social obligations are not interruptions to work—they are part of what keeps teams strong and communities resilient. Director Ravo created space for collaboration and encouraged me to do the same.’

Their day-to-day working rhythm reflected this with informal chats in the hallway and spontaneous team meetings.

The benefits of Sarah’s time in Vanuatu were mutual. While she brought skills in planning, policy and leadership development, she also learned deeply from the culture around her.

Now several years on, Sarah continues to support the department in an advisory role. For Director Ravo, this continuity is vital.

’She’s still part of our journey,’ he says. ’That long-term connection—that’s what we need more of. Real impact takes time.’

’We came from different cultures, but we were always aligned on one thing: the power of relationships to drive meaningful change,’ Sarah reflects.

Their story is just one among many in the Australian Volunteers Program—but it stands out for its warmth, honesty, and its quiet reminder that behind every policy or reform, there are people who care, connect and commit.

Now, years on, Director Ravo and Sarah’s friendship and professional bond remain as strong as ever. Sarah continues to advise the department, and Director Ravo speaks proudly of the impact they’ve had together.

’My experience working with Director Ravo and the Department was a rich two-way exchange’, Sarah says proudly. ’I gave my time and skills, but what I received in return was a deep education in the values that underpin effective public service in Vanuatu—trust, humility, shared purpose, and the power of relationships.’

Director Ravo and Sarah’s story is a shining example of how volunteering is not a one-way street, but a powerful exchange—one that strengthens ties between nations and grows something much greater than the sum of its parts.

Discover more about the Australian Volunteers Program at australianvolunteers.com