Nomathamsanqa (Noma) Mlaba (16) from Durban and Lukhanyo Gqibinyanga (17) from Willowvale in the Eastern Cape are the two luckt Lawhill students who were invited by Jennifer Burger of the Royal Cape Yacht Club (RCYC) Sailing Academy to join her and other RCYC Academy sailors on a trip to Italy during the June 2024 holidays.
Unlike the rest of their peers who had to endure a chilly winter, Noma and Lukhanyo – who are both RCYC/General Botha Old Boys’ Association Bursary Fund (GBOBA BF) bursary holders – headed for Italy to spend five days on the Tallship Nave Italia – a time they refer to as ‘adventure therapy’!
Both ladies are the first in their families to travel abroad.
‘It was magnificent!’, says Noma. ‘I cannot actually express in words how I felt. I was both shocked and overjoyed when I was told that I had landed this opportunity. I was excited to share this news with my family because I knew they would be very proud of me, that I was carrying my family’s name high across the ocean all the way to Italy.’
‘I felt a deep sense of pride and responsibility being the first girl in my family to venture beyond our country’s borders,’ says Lukhanyo.
‘I’m eager to pursue a career in the maritime industry, inspire other young girls from rural areas to chase their dreams, and make a difference in my community.’
According to Noma:
‘This trip has been a turning point in my life, and I’ll carry the memories, lessons, and sense of purpose with me.
‘For these experiences, I would like to thank the GBOBA BF, the RCYC and the Lawhill family for putting in all the effort to make this trip possible. It has opened up a lot of opportunities for me, and I really appreciate it.’
Noma has loved sailing since she began participating in the sport in Grade 9, before she applied to Lawhill Maritime Centre.
‘The main reason I like this sport is that it is different, and gives me time to relax, despite being hectic. It requires a lot of teamwork, concentration and commitment, and after a busy week at school, I get this great opportunity to go out to sea, enjoy this time which helps build my character and leadership skills.’
Lukhanyo, a fellow sailor, is equally passionate about spending time on the ocean. ‘But being on the Tallship was a whole different experience for me. It was my home for that time. Initially I was scared to sleep on the ship, but I conquered this fear. I also never thought I would climb a 61-foot mast, but I conquered that too and actually enjoyed it!
Nave Italia accommodates 22 guests, and is open to people who have physical or mental disabilities or are fighting social issues.
The trip was the girls first flight. ‘We flew from Durban to Rome via Cape Town and Addis Ababa. It was an exhausting trip but worth it.’
A bus was arranged by Nave Italia Foundation to take them from Rome to the port of Gaeta, where they boarded the brig which sailed to the port of Civitavecchia. Here they were briefed, given instructions, allocated a cabin and given a mini tour of the ship.
Says Noma:
‘From 07:00 – 23:00, every day had a packed, but different programme comprising breakfast, activities, duties and sleep time. The duties were practical: cleaning, mapping, washing dishes. The activities focused on teamwork, leadership and personal skills, such as mast climbing, ‘puzzles’ with our hands tied while we stood together in a circle; we were given three cards on which to write down what motivated us on this trip, what impact we could have on the team, what our greatest fears are, in order to get to know and feel comfortable with one another; we built a marshmallow tower. We shared values and challenges.’
One of Noma’s challenges, as a minor, was securing all the documentation she needed for the trip. She is grateful to the ‘many, many, many people who made this trip possible for me.’
Another challenge was the language barrier between – English and Italian. ‘I am super grateful that there was a translator on board who helped us communicate with the Italian sailors, ask questions and find solutions,’ says Noma.
‘Wow! I spent a lot of time on the bridge and learned how to operate things. I would have liked to interact with the engineer, but there were restrictions which I fully understood.’
Noma took advantage of every aspect of the trip and was inspired to ask many questions.
‘During breakfast, lunch and supper we had time to interact with the crew, freely express and define ourselves, and explore our backgrounds.’
Conversation flowed every day, and she learned how to say hello, good morning and sugar in Italian. The highlight of the trip was on day three.
‘I had to climb the 61m mast. In the back of my mind was the thought that it’s going to look scary from up there, but the view was exhilarating, and I conquered my fears,’ she says.
The South African team spent a day on the beach, walked around the city, saw the sights, enjoyed a barbeque on board, danced the macarena the Italian sailors taught them and the traditional Zulu dance they taught the Italians.
‘These are moments I will forever cherish in my heart. I saw how you could get along with your crew, be punctual, share morals, values no matter what your background, ’says Noma.
Her eyes were also opened to see how a problem can be approached in many different ways to reach the same answer.
The ladies expressed their sincere gratitude to each and every single individual from Lawhill Maritime Centre, RCYC, General Botha Old Boys’ Association Bursary Fund and the sponsors who gave their money and time to make the trip possible.
Concludes Noma: ‘There are many words to use to express how grateful I am that this opportunity was offered to me when there were many other deserving candidates. I never thought that at such a young age I would travel to Italy, gain knowledge that I would later pass on to my peers, family, and friends, to make them aware of how important it is to cherish all the moments they are given and to learn from them.
‘Embarking on this trip helped me realise how passionate I am about the ocean, why I would like to sail, what to focus on and strive for in my academics so that I will be able to continue to university and study towards my future dreams.
‘To those selfless individuals as a collective, I express my heartfelt love and gratitude. May God bless you all.’
Ends