Steve and Di’s Story

Part of the Yalari family

Back in 2006, Di and I read a small article in The Australian about Waverley and Llew, and the birth of Yalari. I had grown up in PNG, and we had both lived and worked in Darwin in the early 70’s, visiting many missions and settlements on medical trips, so we had a personal interest in Indigenous welfare. We were passing through the Gold Coast on our way back from Sydney and made a spontaneous phone call, leading us to drop in for a coffee and a chat with Waverley and Llew. Needless to say, we were very impressed. Importantly for us, Yalari was an independent, private organisation with government support but not control. We arranged for Churchie to be involved from 2007 and have supported boys there ever since.

Having observed the soul-destroying scourge of passive welfare, it was refreshing to experience the gratitude Waverley expressed for the educational opportunity he had been given, and his passion to provide that for others. Very much a hand up, and not a hand out. Waverley and Llew stress this to all scholarship recipients who become part of the Yalari family, to understand and respect the opportunities that they have been given. The children go to the Yalari dinners and experience first hand the many people and organisations, and the expanding core of private benefactors, who support and care for them. This, and the embracing support during and beyond school, is what sets Yalari apart from other Indigenous education organisations.

We have been along for the ride, sometimes bumpy, and take considerable pride in the growth of Yalari which is underpinned by the warmth, humour, generosity and basic humanity of Llew and Waverley.

We feel that we are very much part of the family. 41

Very much a hand up, not a hand out. Waverley and Llew stress this to all scholarship recipients who become part of the Yalari family.

STEVE McCREADY YALARI SCHOLARSHIP SPONSOR