Xolani Jali and Mfundo Joseph, two Grade 12 maritime students from Simon’s Town School’s Lawhill Maritime Centre, have been selected to spend their October school break participating in an international sailing regatta in Ibiza, Spain.
The trip in October 2015 will be the third time Lawhill students have been selected to participate in the Marine Inspirations (www.marineinspirations.org) programme, an initiative which aims to give young maritime students hands-on seamanship experience and expose them to possible career opportunities in the world of yachting and the maritime field.
The Marine Inspirations programme, which has attracted increasing support since it was launched in October in 2014, is currently supported by a number of highly respected captains, yacht-owners, ship-managers and associated individuals and organisations in the international maritime industry.
Supporters of the October 2015 event include the organizers of the Ibiza Rendezvous Regatta , Perini Navi USA Inc’s Bruce Brackenhof Jr (who has sponsored Mfundo Joseph’s airfare) and yacht manager, Captain Dan Jackson (who has sponsored Xolani Jali’s airfare).
The initiative is also strongly endorsed in South Africa by the General Botha Old Boys Bursary Fund (www.GBBursaryFund.org) which is supplying set-up funding and logistical support in Cape Town before the students embark upon their adventure in October 2015.