Charting new waters through sailing sponsorship

Aerial ship view

Asiphe and rope work

Teamwork really makes the dream work. Don’t let fear hold you back. Commitment pays off. And being on the water surrounded by fresh air is a great way to de-stress!

These are some of the insights two young Khayelitsha women have gained while learning to sail at the Royal Cape Yacht Club’s (RCYC) Sailing Academy.

Buyekezwa Mthini, 21, and Asiphe Ganiso, 22, were sponsored for a 12-month sailing programme by homegrown insurer Hollard in partnership with the academy, which aims to empower and upskill young people from marginalised communities by introducing them to the basics of sailing and boats, while at the same time addressing the need for increased diversity and inclusion in the sport.

Mthini, an engineering and related design student at Northlink College in Bellville, Cape Town, says she heard about the Sailing Academy in 2018 while receiving extra Grade 10 tuition at the Emagqabini Education Academy.

Apart from it being fun, she has found that sailing is a source of inspiration and humility, she says. “It teaches attentiveness, anticipation, resourcefulness, patience and prioritisation. And with the fresh air and water surrounding you, it’s hard to feel stressed.”

Sailing has also taught her to overcome fear. “Even if you’re scared, don’t ever hold back in life,” says this hard worker.

Business administration student Ganiso says lessons she has learned during sailing training include the importance of communication and teamwork. Sailing has also helped her overcome painful past experiences and given her hope for a better future.

Being part of the Sailing Academy has provided these two go-getters with opportunities they would otherwise never have enjoyed, and the Hollard sponsorship was instrumental to their journey after other potential sailing sponsors fell away during Covid-19, they say.

Ganiso remembers her disappointment when her initial sailing sponsorship ended abruptly during the pandemic. After a hiatus of more than a year, she was “filled with joy” when she received the news of the Hollard sponsorship in November 2021. “My life became meaningful again.”

Mthini notes that the sponsorship allowed her to get valuable training and racing experience with the Hollard Jacana yacht racing team, beyond the regular sailing with the academy.

“What’s special about sailing on Hollard Jacana is that a well-designed big boat is inherently more stable in breaking seas and high winds. And it is easy to move around on the boat.”

Ganiso agrees. “Sailing on Hollard Jacana is very special as it is the biggest boat I have ever sailed on at the club – the sails are big and heavy,” she says. “How she moves is magical and the crew is so friendly.”

The young women were also thrilled to be chosen as part of a group of 10 RCYC Sailing Academy students selected to spend five days on board the Italian navy sailing ship Nave Italia in June this year.

Through its non-profit foundation, the ship regularly hosts groups of young people from across the globe who are disadvantaged in different ways, with the ultimate goal of promoting inclusion, understanding and collaboration.

For both Mthini and Ganiso, it was their first overseas trip, and they brought home many lasting memories. “I specifically enjoyed how we all together, as a team, hoisted the Nave Italia’s sails – it was like we were dancing. I had so much fun,” says Ganiso.

She has always taken the Hollard sponsorship very seriously, she says, and is grateful for all the support she has received from the academy and the RCYC. “I went sailing even on days that I was sick and I think my good attendance record helped me be chosen for the recent trip.”

Mthini has since passed the practical exam for her skipper’s ticket, and is waiting for her theory results. Her message to everyone who has supported and sponsored her sailing journey is, “Thank you for providing me with this opportunity of a lifetime – I appreciate everything I was taught.”

Ganiso, who studies at Tsiba Business School in Ndabeni, also runs a small business selling popcorn.

She says, “My plans for the future are to be a skipper and have my own boat, and for my business to grow to make that dream come true.”

She would definitely encourage others to join the academy. “It’s great out there – all you need is commitment and drive.”

Hollard Jacana skipper Patrick Holloway commends both young women’s commitment and hard work as trainee crew. “I wish both of them only the best for the future.”

Hollard Head of Marine Cynthia Nanthalall adds that, as the insurer’s first two sailing sponsorship recipients, Mthini and Ganiso did themselves proud.