The Little Optimist Trust (Foundation)

Offers positive mental health intervention, opportunity, inclusion and education, through Safe Space creation and Sailing Therapy.

  • Established in 2017, a registered NPO, Trust, PBO with 501(c)(3) fiscal partner Status in the USA
  • Winner of the 2019 Game Charity Award – Amsterdam
  • Paris Olympics (Impact 2024) & IOC 2025 Advanced Olympism 365 grants recipient
  • 2024 Partner with Laureus – Sports for Good Foundation
  • 2026 Laureus Sport for Good Grant winner and laureate

Keeping HOPE afloat!

We up-grade and beautify under-resourced care and education facilities to create Safe Space in South Africa. We use sailing as a tool to foster positive mental health intervention & hope for marginalized and at-risk youth.

Through our Blue Mind & Sailing Therapy programs, we offer inspiration, opportunity, inclusion, life skills, education and pathways to employment and a better life.

Learn About Our Sailing Academy
Buy your Optimist Movie now!
Children positively impacted
0 +
Children impacted
280,000+

ZAR raised for projects

0 mil
ZAR raised
5 200 000

Hospitals / Schools / Clinics upgraded

0
Upgrades
0%
11

Sailing therapy beneficiaries

0 +
Sailing kids
1,600+

How it all started

Inspired to Just Do Good!

The Little Optimist Trust was started by the original Little Optimist, Greg Bertish, a man inspired to just do good! He uses a Little Optimist children’s sailing dinghy as a metaphor and a vehicle to connect with kids, to promote positive thinking and belief, and to create a passion and purpose to overcome obstacles in life.

Find out more about his full story here

200 days in hospital

Greg was sick, misdiagnosed, operated on, drips 24/7, & was offered no hope. He used visualisation, optimism & passion for the ocean & life to overcome the infections & survive.

Sailing 200km

In April 2016, as a middle aged, multiple cardiac surgery survivor, on the blood thinner warfarin, Greg sailed a tiny children’s Optimist dinghy over 200 km around the Cape of Storms.

The Mission

His aim was to show that small people can do HUGE things. He inspired patients, kids & people to never give up, & raised R1.3 mil for the new ICU & to paint the Red Cross Children’s Hospital.

Help us be the change you want to see in the world today

We have a unique opportunity to help others that are less fortunate that us.

Let us work together to make a difference in the hard world we live in.

Saving children's lives

Making a difference in young children's lives, giving them hope for a future.

Learning a skill

Children are learning new skills, building their confidence and knowledge.

Encouragement from a young age

Being there for children when they feel lost and hopeless.

Our Sponsors

We cannot do this without our sponsors!

We are so grateful to those who have supported our journey thus far.

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DONATE HERE

Help us make a difference

SURVIVE 
Optimism is a potent health tonic! Through our talks, books and movies we inspire kids to be optimistic about their lives and their futures. Our Sailing Academy empowers kids through skills training and therapy.
 
THRIVE
In partnership with our key sponsors we fundraise to renovate, refurbish and
brighten up paediatric health care, primary care and education facilities. We offer them hope and we “inject” them with positivity and inspiration to get better faster. 
DONATE HERE

Join our next project

Join us in or around Western Cape

Open Hours

8.30am–16.30pm

Give Us a Call

082 454 0398