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What a day to remember – RMB corporate family day! The sun was scorching hot at Webersburg Wine Estate in Stellenbosch, but that didn’t stop the little sailors from hopping into our dinghies for some fun on the water. The...

Heideveld Multiday programme – Fears faced, challenges conquered. During the October school holidays, the kids from Heideveld Baptist were welcomed to attend our special mental health week program. A week filled with fun activities to promote and nurture their mental...

What was planned as a simple day out turned into an unforgettable experience for 56 enthusiastic kids, from energetic energizers to an amazing time on the water. Despite the unexpected turnout, the teams rose to the occasion with heart, energy,...

Zeekoevlei sailing centre blog from Josh September with the JP 21 Foundation From the moment the kids arrived, there was a buzz in the air. Many of them were stepping onto a sailboat for the very first time. After a...

One of our amazing team members from The Little Optimist Sailing Academy recently participated in the Little Lions Fellowship. Together with her team, they hosted a child-friendly “Sip & Paint” to celebrate Mental Health Awareness Month. We began the day...

🌊 Vista Nova Multi-Day Sailing Program — Day 1 to Day 3 Highlights 💙 The Vista Nova Multi-Day Sailing Program has been an incredible journey from the very first day — filled with courage, laughter, and moments of pure joy....

A Day on the Water with Eros Special School Today was one of those truly heartwarming days at the Little Optimist Sailing Academy. We had the privilege of welcoming a group of incredible kids from Eros Special School for a...

The Little Optimist Sailing Academy was recently visited by the students of Vista Nova School. A group of differently abled kids who kept the team on their toes. The teens were energetic, talkative and radiated optimism. When they arrived, most...

On the 20th of September, we had the joy of hosting the Ocean Pledge for a one-day program, and what an unforgettable day it was! We started off with a trip to the Two Oceans Aquarium, and for many of...

Their final day of fun at our sailing academy !! What an amazing journey it has been with our young friends from Astra special school, that have officially wrapped up their unforgettable multi-day adventure with us at the Little optimist...

Jabulani Rural Health Foundation Project in collaboration with The Little Optimist Trust and Italtile A note from the beneficiary: In early 2025, Jabulani Rural Health Foundation was delighted to partner with The Little Optimist Trust, alongside their CSI partner Italtile,...

This past week marked a special milestone as we officially launched our very first pilot site at Zeekoevlei. The day was filled with excitement, energy, and a spirit of unity as children from two different schools came together to experience...

It was a day to remember as the Sentinel Oceans Group joined with the Hout Bay Yacht Club team and the incredible crew from The Little Optimist Trust for a sailing experience filled with learning , sailing and fun. The...

The day unfolded when a group of incredible young adventurers from Astra special school joined us at The Little Optimist Sailing Academy for their very first sailing experience. For many of the children, it was their first time on the...

From cheers to sails – girl power at its finest. The empowered woman is powerful beyond measure and beutiful beyond description. – Steve Maraboli. In the middle of Women’s month, the academy was visited by Bonteheuwel’s Cheerleaders, a group of...

The Grade 11 boys from Heideveld had a day filled with fun, learning, and new experiences. From the start, it was clear that the boys carried their own unique stories and personalities, which shone throughout the activities. Inganathi stood out...

Thank you so much for this wonderful opportunity that our learners experienced.They came running back after the taxis dropped them at school to thank us for the opportunity.Even the EA that went with them had the same expression of wonder...

The 26th of July marked the first official Hout Bay pilot site programme. The day started with hot chocolate and hugs. The children arrived early and were filled with excitement, as some had visited us at The Little Optimist Academy...

A Beautiful Beginning: Our Children’s Church Ministry Feeding Programme Launch Yesterday (27 July) marked a very special day for our children’s ministry and community — we officially started our Feeding Programme, and what a blessing it was! From early in...

From Wobbly Decks to Brave Hearts There’s something truly magical about watching a group of young people find their confidence on water, and last week’s visit from Marsh Memorial was nothing short of inspiring. From the moment they stepped into...

18 July – Mandela Day The Little Optimist was invited to by the V&A Waterfront to take part in their One Community initiative. We were amongst 10 organisations who came together at the beautiful Cape Town Cruise Terminal where we...

What does it truly mean to “dare to dream”? In this inspiring episode of Our voice, our future, we speak with Greg Bertish, heart surgery survivor, adventurer, author of The Little Optimist children’s books and founder of The Little Optimist...

At The Little Optimist Trust , we believe every young person deserves the chance to unlock their full potential. On this special day, we celebrate the incredible power of skills development — the foundation for confident, capable, and future-ready youth....

Just wrapped up an unforgettable sailing trip from Durban to Cape Town and wow… what an experience. Started the journey at Point Yacht Club in Durban — setting up the sails, getting everything ready with the crew. There was definitely...

My Journey from Durban to Cape Town So the journey started the day we flew to Durban. This was the first flight in my life, I was very excited and eager to experience that. It was in Durban were we...

Offshore Durban To Cape Town Sailing Trip. When one thought became reality. So far throughout my Sailing career I have never had an opportunity to do a boat delivery, as well as experience flying. I was excited when we got...

I want to extend my deepest thanks to Bruce Tedder for giving me and my three boys the incredible opportunity to be part of a journey aboard the boat set to sail solo around the world. Through your generosity and...

Greg Bertish and Erica McCune attended the Laureus Master Class. Helping the helpers Giving to the givers Educating the educators Inspiring the inspirers Thank you @laureus_sa for including us and empowering us to be better humans and more impactful and...

Blikkiesdorp Soccer Club 15th July 2025 A nervous but eager group joined us on 15 July at The Little Optimist Sailing Academy to learn and go on a new adventure. The boys listened carefully to the stories that were told...

Please download our June photo report! Click the button below! June Photo Report

On the 21st on June, the Academy was bursting with joy, laughter, and a whole lot of sunshine as we welcomed the incredible girls and boys from Heideveld for a one-day adventure on (and off) the water. From the moment...

At The Little Optimist Sailing Academy, we’ve always believed in helping young people step into their power, whether it’s balancing on a sailboat or standing tall in front of a mirror. But this week, we did something a little different....

The Little Optimist partnered with the Hout Bay Yacht Club and Zeekoevlei Sailing Centre with the goal of learning how to create an empowering sailing course for both kids and adults to enjoy. Over the course of three days, the...

The Hout Bay Yacht Club has a perfect setting. Nestled between mountains and the ocean, it is a safe haven of learning and laughter. The mock program served as a trial run for future rollout, and we’re thrilled to say:...

A Day of High Fives, Ocean Vibes, and Unforgettable Firsts! 🌊⛵✨ The energy was electric from the moment the group from JAG Foundation arrived. Smiles lit up the dock as each child was greeted with a warm, high five, a...

Kalk Bay was alive with colour, creativity, and community spirit as we gathered for the World Ocean Day Art Exhibition at the local community centre. And yes! you guessed it , The Little Optimist crew was right there in the...

At The Little Optimist Trust, we always say sailing changes lives — but sometimes, it also brings out your inner child! This week, our staff swapped their laptops and life plans for life jackets and laughter as they headed out...

This year our youth are sailing a different kind of boat. Our Sailing managers and 2 of our instructors will be the crew on board a Class40 yacht They will be assisting with delivering the boat from Durban to Cape...

On Saturday 24 May, The Little Optimist Crew made waves at the V&A Waterfront as we took part in the much-anticipated Dragon Boat Tug of War Challenge! We brought fun, colour, and laughter to the waterfront, and it was a...

On 16 May we joined together at Astra Special School for the grand opening of the school library. This project has been a labor of love for the Little Optimist Trust, putting in physical hours painting and spending further weeks...

The Little Optimist staff write messages of love, encouragement, hope and inspiration in books for Astra Special Schools newly refurbished library. This project is close to these staff members hearts as they spent hours painting the library during phase 1...

This past Saturday was one for the books, a magical collision of surf, sail, and pure joy at the 9Miles Project! From the moment the Little Optimist sailors swapped sails for surfboards, we knew it was going to be a...

“Over the Easter weekend, from the 17th to the 22nd of April, I had the incredible opportunity to compete in the ILCA 6 Dinghy National Championship—an event that brought together 23 of South Africa’s most skilled sailors. It was an...

Amir Yaghya, captain of the 420 fleet, had the privilege of competing in the Western Cape Championship alongside his sailing partner, Renton Geduld. This regatta was especially meaningful to them as it marked the final event they sailed together as...

We have had more deliveries from Moving Tactics, Ullman Sails as well as Darios in Hout Bay. Adrienne was out and about in Hout bay again – delivering Easter eggs to over 100 kids from Hangberg Sentinel Pre-Primary school. She...

Grade R children from Hout Bay Educare and Wavecrest creche were treated to a sweet surprise this morning. Adrienne, Senior facilitator at The Little Optimist Academy, handed out Easter eggs to the eager and very well behaved kids in Grade...

The Little Optimist Academy team had a heartwarming visit to the New Somerset Hospital, where they handed out Easter marshmallows eggs to the kids. With bright smiles and cheerful energy, they brought a touch of joy and sweetness to the...

The Waterfront Canal Swim was a beautiful mix of courage, joy, and unforgettable memories. One of the swimmers put it perfectly:  “How can I miss this? It’s a once-in-a-lifetime experience!” Despite life’s challenges, she didn’t let her circumstances define her,...

During the April school holidays, The Little Optimist Sailing Academy hosted an extraordinary 5-day Multi-day program for children from Heideveld and what an unforgettable journey it was! From the classroom to the Canal, every moment was packed with fun, energy,...

The Little Optimist Trust was thrilled to attend the grand opening of Vista Nova Primary School’s brand-new inclusive playground on Wednesday 26 March! Designed to ensure that every learner—regardless of ability—can play, explore, and connect, this incredible space features wheelchair-friendly...

This February, something truly remarkable unfolded. The Ocean Pledge, Roxy Davis Foundation, and The Little Optimist Sailing Academy joined forces to empower over ten young adults from across Cape Town. Many arrived as strangers, some hesitant to even say hello,...

On 3 March we began our Train the trainer with @9milesproject at the #thelittleoptimistsailingacademy. We explored ways to use sailing as a means to teach life lessons and promote growth mindset thinking and living.

This research paper investigates the effectiveness of The Little Optimist’s (NGO) sailing therapy.

The Little Optimist Sailing Academy, based in the Waterfront’s Canal District, is a nonprofit organisation dedicated to empowering special-needs children and at-risk youth through sailing.

It has been a very busy week for the Little Optimist and we are so honoured and proud of our journey and the recognition and reward we are receiving.

Today, just one day after our visit from the IOC & Advancing Olympism delegates, we were honoured to be visited by the French Ambassador for Sport, Samuel du Croquet, from the French Embassy.

Corale and Rebecca from Olympism 365 and the International Olympic Committee flew in from Senegal and Switzerland to visit our Sailing Therapy Academy and programme.