About Us

Wikipedia, the free Internet encyclopedia talks about Six Degrees of Separation referring to the “small world” phenomenon.

The theory is that we are no more than six steps away from each person on Earth.

Therefore, when we put out our hands to help a non-profit making institution like YouMe Support Foundation, we are in reality helping our neighbour.

Rick and Wendy

Rick and Wendy came to Vanuatu in 2004, retiring from teaching English in Hong Kong, instead they set up Seachange Lodge, a boutique accommodation resort.

In 2006 they discovered that talented students in the outer islands of Vanuatu would never be able to go to high school if they were not assisted financially.

These children have the same desires as any child anywhere in the world. They want to be pilots, teachers, doctors, etc., but their dreams will never be a reality without outside help.

YouMe Support Foundation was born

The first project being to give away Seachange Lodge Resort in a raffle, in order to place $US2million in a Trust Fund. The interest used to give non-repayable education grants to students who show enthusiasm, promise and ability.

Rick and Wendy would receive market value for Seachange Lodge, all other funds staying in the Trust Fund for YouMe Support Foundation.

Ongoing Assistance

The project involved a lot more than just raising money. The community life of these children revolves around the family. To take a child from the community and transplant to a school, is not a light thing to do. Every aspect had to be carefully considered.

Teachers from the Primary School, parents and friends of the student, Secondary School teachers, all had to be consulted, quite apart from interviews with the student.

It is not enough to just educate a child

The children than have to be able to do something with that education, otherwise they will return to their island with knowledge, but no opportunity to put that knowledge to use.

Therefore a plan needed to be evolved for each student.

The goal became ‘Assist children of the outer islands to become self-reliant’ and as such, a great asset to their community. Give children an opportunity to enter the 21st century if they wish to.