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There was lots of excitement when thirteen children from JCOR Sunday School Group arrived at the academy for our Sailing Thru Life Program. The day kicked off with an interactive ice-breaker to promote team work. We have smaller custom made...

The energetic  Grade Eights had a jam-packed day filled with sailing, knot-tying challenges and a visit to the roller cade. Bad weather did not deter the festivities;  the second group of grade eights enjoyed The Little Optimist Documentary Movie with...

Learners from across the Western Cape are conquering their fear of the ocean, while improving their quality of life through exposure to the sport of sailing. The Little Optimist Sailing Academy, located at the V & Waterfront’s Battery Park with...

Girl Power!! The Shooting Stars traded in their netball for a rope and a dinghy on Saturday, 5th of August. We had so much fun and looked glamourous while doing so with custom-made purple Little Optimist Bags, thank you Ullman...

Cape Town – The Little Optimist Sailing Academy based at Battery Park at the V&A Waterfront received a massive boost, following the sponsorship of a sailing boat by the V&A Waterfront. The boat, worth R50 000, would further assist the...

Clarence speaks to Greg Bertish The Little Optimist Sailing Academy.

The Little Optimist Sailing Academy recently hosted Prestwich Street Primary School pupils who got to learn to sail in a newly donated boat. Cape Town, South Africa (02 August 2023) – Prestwich Street Primary School pupils got to try their hands...

Prestwich Primary School is our neighbour school in the inner city of Cape Town. The grade sixes are reading a book about sailing and visited us at the academy to see and learn about this skill in a concrete way....

https://youtu.be/X5fZpZ-BCbA

Will’s Birthday party at The Little Optimist Academy is an experience that these sailors will not forget soon! Book your birthday party with us for two hours of fun that will fly by!

Fourteen very excited children arrived at The  Little Optimist Academy this Saturday for our Sailing Thru Life Programme. They learnt about water safety and situational awareness – how being aware of your surroundings can keep you safe, not only while...

In February 2023 all the teams from The OCEAN RACE visited and supported and sailed with the little optimist sailing academy. The world famous skippers and  teams joined the optimist teams to inspire all the kids and show the wold how...

We were thrilled to pilot our unique Train The Trainer Course this Saturday. Seven eager candidates, brimming with potential, were introduced to our sailing therapy programme. We had loads of fun learning how to rig and sail an optimist. Water...

The Blikiesdorp Football Club experienced a different game with us today – sailing. They did not only acquire a new skill, but also learnt how to sail through life with optimism and self-belief. Coach Errol and his wife Joyce, invest...

Looking for something new for your next school outing? Book your kids to be inspired by The Little Optimist. They will learn: Water Safety Ocean Health Knot tying And learn how to sail an Optimist dingy. It is SAFE and...

The smiling faces of Astra Special School graced us with their presence on Thursday. Thanks to Coffee Importers, we warmed up with a nice cup of hot chocolate. The Little Optimist Academy is aligned with the school’s mission –   to...

The kids from Bonteheuwel brought us so much joy on Saturday! They brought the inner child out of the staff – it was all play, no work! Thank you to Zaironesa for blessing us with an inspiring photo collage of...

We launched our revised Full Day Sailing Programme on Saturday, 27 May. This programme is a step up from the Two-hour Learn to Sail Course with additional information and sailing techniques. It was a huge success. The sailors learned how...

A group of enthusiastic young adults visited The Little Optimist Academy to learn about our Sailing Thru Life Programme. They experienced sailing for themselves and the satisfaction it can bring when you overcome your fear and self-doubt to achieve something...

A group of young boxers joined us at The Little Optimist Academy for a fun filled visit to the aquarium and for sailing. They learnt about Ocean Health from Adrienne and Amir taught them how to tack and gybe. The...

What has become a tradition, HIIT Fitness did an Easter Drive again this year – and as usual, their clients did not disappoint.They not only collected yummy Easter eggs, but also toiletries for the kids at the Heideveld Baptist Church...

RIP Terrance. We met young Terrance Maclaughlin in 2017 when he was just 10 years old.He had Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy- a terrible, debilitating, terminal disease.But this boy had the biggest Heart.And Terrance became our Hero. He lost his ability to...

On the 6th of April, The Little Optimist staff visited Maitland Cottage Orthopaedic Childrens Hospital to spread some Easter excitement. All the kids received Easter eggs, The Little Optimist Children’s book – in their home language, a medal for being...

A netball team from Oasis brought their A-game to The Little Optimist Academy. It turns out that netball players have great sailing skills too! Don’t just pack it, wear your (life)jacket.

A group of teenagers from Heideveld finally had the chance to visit the academy with Reverent Vernon form Heideveld Baptist Church. Their visit  had to be postponed twice due to bad weather, but it was worth the wait! They were...

The word IMPACT is used a lot. BUT what is IMPACT? and how can you impact AT RISK YOUTH? This is HOW! The Ocean Race visits The Little Optimist Sailing Therapy Academy- The Impact is tangible! Please come get involved, share, sponsor...

In 2021 we raised funds and helped Onwaba to have her legs straightened. Now that her journey is finished and she has had her last check-up, we are super pleased to announce that Onwaba is doing amazing and is set...

Kids LEARN TO SAILThese Easter HolidaysIt’s safe, it’s fun and it’s for charityKids 5 to 15 yearsGroups , parties and solo sailors from R100 per child.Booking essentialDetails below#learntosail #sailing #sailinglife #thelittleoptimist #holidays #easter #charity 

Blikkiesdorp Football Club visited us at the Waterfront for the Ocean Race on the 18th of February and watched The Little Optimist Movie at the amphitheatre. Last Saturday, coaches Joyce and Errol brought the team to the academy to sail for...

Birthday parties at The Little Optimist are for both the young and old! Here is Caeden tying knots with his Granddad. The creativity was flowing with the decorations at this party . Wow!

In late 2021 little Onwaba, from Umtata, underwent a dual leg straightening operation. This brave little girl has been recovering well and has visited Cape Town 3 times for checkups since her surgery – in January and July 2022 and...

Greg Bertish is a man with a big heart. His story is inspiring and shows that resilience together with a positive mindset and an unfathomable amount of optimism you can achieve anything you put your mind to. He uses his...

The 9-12 Phase from Generation Schools Imhoff had a blast at our academy. “The best outing ever”. Thanks to all the teachers who enjoyed it just as much as the kids 🙂 

The grade 6 and 7’s from Llandudno Primary learnt all about sailing and ocean health. It was the most exciting, close finish for the relay race! #nevergiveup 

We had a Birthday “Splash” this Saturday. Book a birthday party with us for a fun time and assist a charity, all in one go! Bookings at sailing@thelittleoptimist.org.

It is always fun and games when Zaironesa Karriem and her team from Bonteheuwel come visit with children from their community. There was a feisty wind that ensured speed and excitement in the little optimist boats –our expert instructors Amir,...

For World Read Aloud Day, we visited some Foundation Phase classes at Generation Schools Imhoff to read the tale of The Little Optimist. The children were fascinated to learn that this book is based on a true story, that little...

Click here to listen to Podcast Welcome to the Good Tidings Podcast with host Larry Harper, Founder of the Good Tidings Foundation. This podcast is all about highlighting the good in people and what individuals are doing to make an impact in...

Heideveld Baptist Church Outing – 12 January 2023 We started 2023 with a bang, welcoming the Heideveld Baptist Church Group. Ten brave and feisty little girls learnt about optimism, ocean health and off course how to sail and tie knots....

This week The Little Optimist Team visited children in hospitals around the western Cape. Our Team delivered LOVE, SMILES, medals, books, and TEDDIES to the kids in Maitland, Red Cross, Tygerberg, and New Somerset children’s hospitals. What a fantastic week!...

1000s of Teddy Bears and plush toys are being collected and donated to the Little Optimist Trust, by our partners and friends around the Western Cape. The Teddies have been pouring in thanks to Darios Café Hout Bay, Kom Surfshop,...

15 youth from Blikkiesdorp Football Club joined us on 13 December for a morning of inspiration, fun and sailing. We were joined by Kevin Langeree (2 x World Kite boarding champion and 3 x Redbull King of the Air winner)...

On 10 December kids from Bonteheuwel experienced sailing for the very first time. These kids come from a highly under-resourced area, their home lives can be dangerous with exposure to drug addiction and gang violence. A community member from Bonteheuwel...

The SOS Africa Children’s Charity is a grassroots child sponsorship organisation which invests 100% of their donations in the education and care of African children. To end off the year the children were treated to a day with The Little Optimist. We hosted...

We are super proud to share the final result of our project at Astra Special School for 2022. 2 bathrooms were completely refurbished with beautiful tiles sponsored by Italtile who also donated generously along with Italtile Foundation. Thank you to...

Ten years after researchers first found that “blue spaces” could be good for us, the concept is proving to be a powerful, practical tool for mental health. Amidst the gentle rock of the sea, the breeze tickling their skin and...

Letter from Reverend about the amazing sailing therapy lessons hosted Read the letter here See the attached references written by the sweet children from Lawhill school. Read the reference letters Hi Cara and Greg, Just wanted to say another huge...

This year’s Great Optimist Race in conjunction with Boatica was a showdown of epic proportions as the wind dropped midway into the race, and skippers resorted to paddles, their hands, and dirty tactics with water weapons to get their boats across the finish line....

“The Great Optimist Race 2022 was an absolute blast. It was fast and it was furious, and the racing was hard and it was fun, and it was wet for some. We raised lots and lots of money for our...

A trio of courageous Capetonians who have all faced severe adversity are preparing to sail in the Great Optimist Race hosted by Boatica at the V&A Waterfront. Shark attack survivor Caleb Swanepoel, breast cancer warrior Adele Niemand and stroke victim...

PRESS RELEASE Three survivors prepare to set sail for charity A trio of courageous Capetonians who have all faced serious challenges are preparing for a different kind of test this Saturday: sailing in the Great Optimist Race in conjunction with...

Published by Tauhira Ajam on October 26, 2022  Numerous studies in recent years have shown sailing to have a profound impact on mental health. According to Dr Wallace Nichols, an award-winning marine biologist, the mere sight and sound of water can promote wellness by...

AHOY MATEY, THE GREAT OPTIMIST RACE IS BACK! The Great Optimist Race in conjunction with Boatica is back! Following a two-year break as a result of the global pandemic, the Little Optimist Trust is delighted to announce that the event...

While the boys bathroom gets it finishing touches, the girls bathroom has started taking shape. Beautiful soft grey tiles were chosen for the girls side – Italtile really has amazing taste. Keep watching this space for the final reveal

The boys bathroom has started to transform and it is looking AMAZING. Italtile chose beautiful tiles that brighten up the room gorgeously – we cannot wait for the kids to see it. The boys bathroom should be done by early...

We partnered with the V & A Aquarium to give some specially chosen children an experience they would not forget! The group arrived and immediately got stuck into an informative and fun classroom experience in the Aquarium.  Once the lesson...

On 12 September 2022 we finally started phase 1 of the Astra Project, in collaboration with Italtile. Installco, our contractor, arrived bright and early and went straight to work removing the tiles on the walls of the boys bathroom. 15...

We work with incredible people… Rev Vernon brought just 12 of his hundreds of children that he works with to come sailing on the 27 August.  The children he works with come from underprivileged homes, most live with grandparents or...

“Soccer Budyz is an extramural program that works in partnership with schools in Cape Town. Boys and girls ages 3-10 will have an opportunity to enhance their physical and social skills and abilities through the medium of football. The Soccer...