Dozens of learners from Prestwich Street Primary School in De Waterkant are learning valuable water safety and sailing skills through the Little Optimist Sailing Academy and Trust – a non-profit organisation (NPO).
The academy based in the V&A Waterfront teaches children from disadvantaged communities basic sailing skills.
On Wednesday 1 August, the V&A Waterfront sponsored the addition of a sailing boat worth R50 000 for the academy.
Greg Bertish, the founder of the NPO, says for the past year, the academy’s Sailing Thru Life Programme equipped over 500 learners. He says the children are from areas across the province. They include Heideveld, Athlone and Khayelitsha.
“Through the programme, the children learn about the importance of protecting the ocean, as well as teamwork. The programme is an opportunity for children from disadvantaged communities to come to the city and the Waterfront for the first time (for some of them) and get into a boat and learn to sail for the first time. We use the teachings of the Little Optimist and Sailing as a form of therapy and education around the ocean,” explains Bertish.
He says they teach them the basics of sailing on the canals, and they get to sail their own Optimist dinghies on the first day of the programme.
“Allows children to fall in love with the ocean and teach them about the safety of the ocean. And the healing effects of it, and give them the knowledge and the desire to want to do more around the ocean.”
He explains that as a public benefit organisation they rely on funding from donors, sponsors and say they are grateful for the sponsorship from the V&A Waterfront. According to Bertish, they have 10 dinghies. He says it costs about R55 000 for a corporate to sponsor one.
Donald Kau, V&A Waterfront Head of Communications, says they are proud to have partnered with the academy to give the children a safe space to tackle exciting and new challenges.
“The Academy instils hope and helps the children deal with their emotions as they tackle the ebb and flow of the waves. The sponsorship expands the program to more communities to experience sailing on the waterfront canals safely.”
Kau says these programmes play a crucial role in driving a thriving marine economy while empowering South Africa’s next generation of leaders.
Mahdi Samodien, principal at Prestwich Street, says the programmes expose learners to new environments.
“This is something our kids are not used to. Approximately 90% of our kids are from the township areas and a lot of them do not get the opportunity to experience what they did here. We hope that the little seed gets planted through the Little Optimist Trust by nurturing the ability to be waterwise. Within an hour, they became little sailors.”
The principal says teaching learners about water safety is crucial.
“A few years ago, we as a school started with the National Sea Rescue Institute where we do waterwise awareness from grades R to 7. They are thought about rip currents and how to be water safe. With the NSRI our Grade 5 to 7 learners go through a four-week skill swimming lesson programme.”
He says that currently about 100 learners are sponsored by the Little Optimist Trust to do the programme.
Samodien says the programme is a hit among the learners.
“Some of the kids were apprehensive at the beginning, they did not want to come and be part of the programme, and were scared of the water. Now some of them did not want to get out of the water. This is a long-term thing, but the skills that were taught already have an impact. You see the smiles and the enthusiasm on their faces. This goes a long way in nurturing our ability to give them the best in the class.”
He says the skills they learn will have long-term benefits.
“This is a skill that they won’t pick up in a class. Yes, they need to be in class learning, but this is an extension of that learning process for learners. We need to plant that seed and hope it will grow for them. We are grateful to the Optimist Trust for the opportunity for our learners.”
Amyoli Matsila, a Grade 6 learner at the school, says it was his first time sailing.
“It was amazing. We had fun and I would love to do it again. I learned how to sail and water safety. I learned a lot and I will also tell my friends about safety in the water.”
Bertish says they need funds to expand the programme.
“We are looking for funding to expand our programme into an eight-week programme so that the kids can come back and we can create the whole sustainable flow where kids leave here and be employable and can get jobs as sailing instructors. We have a train-a-trainer programme – where children can become junior instructors and go and walk at any yacht club in the country and the world and the marine industry.”
- To sponsor a boat or for more information visit https://optimistsailingacademy.org/
