Letter from the Chairman
One of the joys of watching Seacology develop through the years has been the pleasure at proving that a small not-for-profit organization really can make difference without a large staff, extensive bureaucracy, or a large fund-raising machine. From its inception, Seacology has been focused on executing its mission of protecting island habitats and cultures throughout the world, with a minimum of red tape.
The reason for this unusual approach to philanthropy is both historical and philosophical. The idea of Seacology began in 1989 when the Falealupo villagers of Samoa faced destruction of their 30,000-acre rain forest. The bulldozers and chain saws of the logging company had arrived, and were busy cutting down the forest. My family and colleagues who were there with me realized that there was not time to forward traditional grant applications to established foundations. Furthermore, the solution we proposed to the logging problem was radical: we offered to pay for and build a needed village school in order to save the rain forest. Time was not on our side; Verne and Marion Read graciously agreed to make interest payments on the notes we signed to assume the village debt to the loggers, but we needed to find the principal elsewhere. In desperation, personal homes were placed on the block, savings accounts emptied, but we still feared we would come up short until Ken Murdock (now Seacology's president) and Rex Maughan (who later formed the Robert Louis Stevenson Foundation ) stepped up with major donations from their businesses. In a matter of weeks, I returned to Samoa with $85,000 in negotiable instruments tucked inside of my rucksack to pay off the loggers. As we stood with the villagers outside the logging company office and they cheered, it was one of the best days of my life. Soon funds from many other donors as well as corporate gifts, such as Nu Skin's Force For Good campaign began to supplement our own personal contributions, and Seacology was launched.
Some well-intended colleagues told me that Seacology with a tiny staff and a minimum of administrative expense could never make it, but we have shown that having an intense focus on mission allows Seacology to succeed. Because we are small we can move quickly to help island peoples, particularly those who might be put off by forms, regulations and rigmarole in languages other than their own. And Seacology can precisely inject funds in a way that every single penny is highly leveraged to produce a conservation outcome.
Throughout the world, islanders are discovering that Seacology is here to help them protect their environments and cultures on their own terms. Because of good people like you, Seacology projects range from the Arctic islands to Madagascar, and we are together making a difference. Thank you so much for helping Seacology to continue to save the world, one island village at a time.
Paul Alan Cox
Chairman
