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INTERNATIONAL RECOGNITION PUTS THE WIND IN THE LITTLE OPTIMIST’S SAILS.
“Doing the right thing for the right reason in the right way is the key to Quality of life," was one of the teachings of Stephen R. Covey. At Italtile, we’d like to build on that famous phrase by saying that an attitude of selfless service builds a more beautiful life for all. A case in point is our esteemed CSI partner, The Little Optimist Trust, headed by the remarkable Greg Bertish, who has dedicated his life to the upliftment of vulnerable children with his own special brand of survive-and-thrive sailing therapy.
“Keeping hope afloat” has been the powerful mantra behind his big-hearted little Optimist sailing dinghy fleet, as he and his volunteers teach youngsters the value of steering one’s life single-handedly through difficult seas. The ground-breaking impact of The Little Optimist Sailing Therapy Academy and its positive mental health interventions attracted the attention of the international sporting community. Recently, a well-deserved honour was bestowed upon Greg Bertish’s very special sailing tribe: they are the sole South African recipients of one of only nine grants offered by IMPACT 2024 Paris Olympics. This significant funding and support will truly be the wind of change in The Little Optimist’s sails. We couldn’t be prouder, and we look forward to witnessing the expansion and development of their programmes.
As South African athletes make their way home from the Paris Olympic Games, it has just been announced that a South African NGO has been awarded a prestigious grant from the IOC (International Olympic Committee).
The Little Optimist Trust, a Cape Town based organisation, has been chosen as a Laureate for the prestigious Sustained insight and Impact Initiative, a programme that was launched in collaboration with the IOC to sustain and scale the social impact legacy of the 2024 Paris Olympic and Para-Olympic games.
The Trust’s sailing therapy programme has been identified as a project with great potential to help build a better world through sport.
Over the past three years The Little Optimist Sailing Therapy Academy has produced ground-breaking impact via its programmes, which use sailing as a positive mental-health intervention. More than 1000 youngsters have had access, opportunity, education and therapeutic intervention via this sailing therapy. Research on the impact of The Little Optimist’s work has been carried out by experts from the African Sport Ecosystem, La Guild and students at Amsterdam University.
In 2021 The Little Optimist Trust won one of only nine grants offered by IMPACT 2024 Paris Olympics – the only South African NPO to be declared a winner.
The new award and funding will help sustain the organisation’s programmes and scale the Sailing Therapy Academy.
“The news is a huge honour and will allow us to expand our reach as it will enable the set up of multiple sites in South Africa, and will allow for the development and piloting of further multi-day programmes,” says The Little Optimist Trust founder Greg Bertish.
The Little Optimist Trust’s work is also being recognised in the USA . Bertish has just returned from a trip to the country, where he was invited to speak at and host workshops at some of the most prestigious yacht clubs and community sailing centres. Without long-term local support from Two Ocean Marine, Ullman Sails, Italtile and Southernwind Shipyard, the Trust would not have been able to achieve these heights.
Find out more about The Little Optimist Trust, Italtile’s ongoing support and current projects here: www.thelittleoptimisttrust.org
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