My name is Erin
My name is Erin and I am 8 years old. I make necklaces for other girls because it makes me feel like I am doing the right thing. I hope…
Waterfront Sailing Therapy
Vitamin Sea and Sailing for Cape Flats kids Winter may have arrived in Cape Town, but that didn’t stop a group of Mitchells Plain children from discovering the joy that…
In the News
We had an amazing Day on Saturday. The first Full day Sailing Therapy Program run at the V and A waterfront.10 kids from the Cape Flats spent the whole day…
Cape Times article
10 Mitchells Plain children experience a dose of sailing therapy
INSPIRATION DAY at Rainbow Educare
Masiphumalele - South Africa; 22 April 2021Greg and Laura visited Rainbow Educare for this weeks' Inspiration day. 30 smiling kids got to experience an awesome morning of movies, talks and…
Gym Bunnies Bring Smiles to kids this Easter
Easter eggs were the order of the day for 80 children at SOS Children’s Village in Cape Town - but so were toothbrushes, toothpaste, soap, face cloths and lots of…
Masicorp
Greg Bertish from The Little Optimist visited our ECD program, along with 1 of the informal creches in Masi today. He was full of energy and the children had a fun-filled…
James House
7 / 4/2021 IMIZAMO YETHU with James House and The Little Optimist Trust. Kids at Imizamo Yethu were so happy to receive easter eggs via the James House Easter hand…
A Place called Home
Hangberg – Hout Bay 2 April 2021 Theresa is “mother” to 50 small “semi abandoned” kids in the Hangberg Township of Hout Bay. These kids are clothed, fed and looked…
Bling & Chocolate for Bravery
Maitland Cottage Children's Hospital - 31 March 2021 The kids at Maitland Cottage Hospital were surprised with a visit from The Little Optimist Team just before the Easter weekend. Each…
Turn the Tide with Chocolate Eggs
1 April 2020 – Hout BayThanks to our amazing collection boxes manufactured by The Excellence Group we were able to collect over 2000 Easter Eggs in Hout Bay alone.The Little…
Handjiesvol Hospital Creche – Tygerberg Hospital
WED 24 March 2021 When the Little Optimist Trust team rolls in, you know that the FUN and SMILES have arrived! 25 Kids who are the children of primary caregivers…
Bling for Bravery
Bling for Bravery is an initiative by Harfield Harriers Running Club in collaboration with the Little Optimist Trust; where we celebrate and reward the bravery of the orthopedic patients at…
Inspiration day at Luntu Educare
This little Edu Care Creche is lovingly run by Mama Linda, who built the home and creche with her own bare hands. We visited the little creche to a warm…
Sentinel Primary School Hout Bay
10 March 2021. It was a stormy rainy day . Many of these kids live in small houses or shacks in the vicinity of the school. Many did not make…
James House Inspiration Day
On 2 February 2021, Greg and the Little Optimist team of volunteers, Rafilwe and Gloria, visited James House in Hout bay . James house is a youth care facility…
Little Brinks
LITTLE BRINKS Foster Home Visit NPO 176-343 26/02/21 On Friday the 26 February we visited Little Brinks NPO and Foster care facility. This little farmyard houses 6 young kids and…
2021 Sailing Therapy
The Little Optimist Sailing Therapy Program is fun, educational and inspiring. We bring the sailing to the kids! At hospitals, schools or even a tidal pool. The program allows kids…
2020 Christmas Teddy Delivery
2020 Christmas toy delivery was a little different because of Covid - but keeping our sick kids safe was top priority.
Christmas Teddy Bear Drive
Thanks to the V&A Waterfront promotion and our Crazy Store partnership our Teddy Bear Drive was able to collect over 1000 Toys and Teddies. We ran a Christmas promotion in…
Teddy Bear Drive
Due to Covid we are unable to hold our annual event – Paddle for Presents.This event is the main drive to get teddies in for kids in hospital over Christmas.This…
The Little Optimist Global Challenge | A Huge Success
From ages two to 82, South Africans of all ages, shapes and sizes took to the water in the Little Optimist Global Challenge. Dams, swimming pools and even fish tanks hosted…
EPIC ROW COMPLETED
Bertie Phillips set out to row in the open ocean from Kommetjie to Bakoven all in the name for raising funds for The Little Optimist Trust and NSRI. On 17…
Optimist sailors look on the bright side
Cape Town - For the past two years the by-invitation-only Great Optimist Race has been held in Cape Town, and has involved experienced sailors, celebrities and medical survivors sailing for…
Bertie’s EPIC row
Bertie Philips, proud supporter of The Little Optimist Trust and NSRI, plans to row from Kommetjie to Bakoven via Noordhoek, Hout Bay, Chapman’s Peak, Sandy Bay and Llandudno all in…
Working from home is the new reality.
Do you have some office furniture you would like to donate? The Little Optimist is excited to bring OPTIMISM and HOPE to the youngsters in Cape Town! We are partnering…
Kidz2Kidz Anti-Bullying Workshops
As a kid I was shy, lacked self-esteem, was bullied, and thought I would never amount to much. I carried this burden and infliction with me well into adulthood, as…
Feeding isolated families in Elands Bay
On 14 August families living is very isolated rural areas of Elands Bay received much appreciated food parcels and a treat of hot chocolate from Importers Coffee.
Wielie Walie Kleuter Skool were treated to a host of surprises
On the 12th of August Wielie Walie Kleuter Skool were treated to a host of surprises. The Little Optimist books in Afrikaans Stationary sets – sponsored by Mandela Day doantions…
Woman’s day we are supporting a very courageous YOUNG WOMAN
This woman's day we are supporting a very courageous YOUNG WOMAN whose perseverance is so inspiring. The Little Optimist has supported Anisha in her quest to walk again, due to her debilitating…
Support our Supporters
ITALTILE, proud sponsor of The Little Optimist Trust, presently have a number of fantastic promotions storewide. Now is the perfect time to turn your house into a home.Xpression on the…
Sailing Therapy
If you could see their faces …….. #sailingtherapy with #thelittleoptimisttrust is the most unique and beautiful experience to witness. Marginalized kids experiencing the wonders of the world , the wind , nature , adventure…
Mandela Day
“There can be no keener revelation of a society’s soul than by the way it treats its children.” Nelson MandelaIt’s MANDELA DAY on 18 July! Help us treat the children…
PADDLING 4 MANDELA & THE CHILDREN!
Let's raise R67000 in honour of Mandela Day! Its gonna be Awesome! The Little Optimist has become a large part of our lives and we are super proud to be…
CATalyst for doing good!
We LOVE being the CATalyst for doing good! This awesome (slightly angry looking) cat donated by @rogzwhq is on his way north. He has a bunch of toys and books donated…
Sport SA Daily Diary chats to sailer & big wave surfer, Greg Bertish
How did this happen .....?Who is this guy ......?How can he say that ......?Is this REAL or FAKE .....?You decide .............Two Oceans Marine ManufacturingUllman Sails South AfricaItaltile
Teaching surfing skills to the 9 miles project kids in Elands Bay
Such a cool day inspiring, educating and teaching surfing skills to the @9milesproject kids in Elands Bay; with @mattbromleysurf , @jameslowe783 , @nigel_savel and @gregbertish ; with the help of…
Covid -19 – The Little Optimist Sails on
The Covid-19 pandemic and subsequent lockdown has been an enormous blow to our country and the economy, leaving no person untouched. We at the Trust are aware of the enormous…
Youth Day Book appeal
This YOUTH DAY... help us feed their minds. Support 2 children for R100.We will be delivering #thelittleoptimistbook and other educational children’s books and workbooks to marginalized kids and communities. PLEASE DONATE…
Soup kitchen serving hundreds in the West Coast
These ladies and this SOUP KITCHEN served hundreds on the west coast each day. We are proud to be supporting them with food and vegetables we deliver each week. Dankie…
School feeding
SCHOOL FEEDING .... #rice #maize #pilchards #lentils #bullybeaf and lots of #vegitables FOR THE CHILDREN at the #elandsbay school feeding program.Thanks #laastedrifboerdery and farmer TIAAN for all the veg, thanks @karacombrinck…
Food Delivery in Ebay
FOOD DELIVERY to the soup kitchen in #elandsbay Thanks to #laastedrif farm and farmer TIAAN, to @karacombrinck and to @9milesproject for organizing all the other food supplies. YEEEHA! @twooceansmarine@ullmansailssouthafrica@italtilesa#covid19#coronavirus#covidrelief#soupkitchen#donation#communityrelief#youthdevelopment#thelittleoptimisttrust@sailoptimist@sailoptimist@woeskus_magazine@weslander_koerant@deonbinglive@zigzagsurf@wavescapesa@captainkaisworld@52superseries@superyachtradio
Stay Safe with our guide
The Little Optimist collaborated with partners in the Netherlands and with Professor Pierre Goussard from Tygerberg Hospital to produce and distribute easy to read and understand Corona Virus Information Sheets. The brochures…
Together Today, The Little Optimist Trust and Ocean Love
Thabane of Imizamo Yethu and Together Today has come to us to ask for help. On the 20 April, we launched our first food parcel project and we received so…
Optimism during the COVID-19
Please click here to be directed to the main newsletter by The Little Optimist Team Surfers rally to help coastal town residents Surfers and charities have joined forces to ensure…
The Bertish Factor
What is it about these Bertish brothers? They spend half their lives trying to kill themselves and the other half saving the world. Or so it seems to us lesser…
Help Elands Bay
You have surfed their waves, visited their town NOW THEY NEED YOUR HELP!
The Little Optimist Trust raises R100000 to help Dusty beat cancer
On Wednesday 11 March, The Little Optimist Trust held a fundraiser for Dustin Heinze, or Dusty as he is fondly known, at Atlantic Boat Club. Dusty works as a skipper…
Sailing Academy Opening
On the 10th of March 2020 we officially opened The Little Optimist Sailing Academy. Kids from St Joseph’s Children’s Home took part in sailing therapy while sponsors and friends joined…
Maitland Movie Night
INSPIRATION | MOVIE | PIZZA | HOT CHOCOLATE The children at Maitland Cottage Orthopedic Hospital were treated to an evening filled with spoils and inspiration! Caleb Swanepoel, amputee, spoke…
PR Value The Little Optimist 2019
WOW The Little Optimist outdid itself this year - please see the link to the Newsclip report below. An AVE of R1 521 955, 56 in media coverage for the…
Thank you Bertish brothers
Dear Bertish Brothers Thank you so much for your delightful donation of Christmas gifts. Your donation was greatly appreciated and what a treat for our patients who are so grateful and…
Sponsors join forces to save teaching centre
In April 2019, Umthawelanga Educare in Mfuleni was on the brink of closure because of health and safety concerns. But thanks to an intervention from The Little Optimist Trust, the…
Greg visits Joe Public in Amsterdam
To the Little Optimist Trust Team Huge thanks to Greg Bertish, who visited us at our Advertising Agency in Amsterdam in November this year. We will be making a nice…
WATCH HERE – 2019 Great Optimist Race
https://youtu.be/h2e92VQZ2X0