New documentary celebrates 30 years of Lawhill Maritime Centre changing young lives

A new documentary, Children of Ours, shines a spotlight on the Lawhill Maritime Centre in Simon’s Town as it marks 30 years of maritime education and career development.

The 30-minute film traces the programme’s origins, celebrates its award-winning successes, and showcases the lives of students whose futures have been shaped by Lawhill.

It is dedicated to the late Sean Day, a respected global maritime professional and avid supporter of Lawhill.

As the Centre marks its 30th anniversary, staff, alumni and supporters say the milestone is far more than a number - it represents three decades of opportunity, transformation and global recognition for a programme that began with a simple but bold vision in 1995.

What started as an ambitious initiative to bring maritime studies to Simon’s Town High School has since grown into a nationally recognised, award-winning programme.

The programme was the brainchild of a steering committee affectionately known as the “Founding Fathers”, a group of academic professionals, naval leaders, and industry experts who recognised a national need for skilled mariners and shore-based maritime professionals.

Head of operations and alumnus, Zuko Saule, said reaching 30 years “means a great deal."

"It means that purpose, passion and hard work are powerful catalysts for positive social change. It means that what began as a simple vision has grown into a generational institution. It means that we can dare to dream of a better future for the children of our country and beyond.”

Programme head Debbie Owen, who has been involved since the start, said the milestone is “incredibly significant.”

She highlighted Lawhill’s focus on soft skills and industry relevance, beyond academic content, as key to its success.

A standout moment for her came when she accepted the award for the Best Maritime Education Programme in Africa, the Middle East, and India at the Atlantis Hotel in Dubai, in front of 2000 maritime professionals.

Head of maritime academics, Lungelo Hopa, who joined the programme 23 years ago as a learner, said watching Lawhill’s growth remains inspiring.

“The lives it has impacted and continues to impact; who would not want to be part of such positive change?” he said.

His defining moment was going to sea in 2000 aboard the S.A. Sederburg with Safmarine, becoming the first from his community to be offered such an opportunity.

Lawhill prepares students for careers in the global maritime industry, equipping them with skills that make them highly employable, whether they enter the workforce directly or pursue further studies.

For learners from disadvantaged backgrounds, the programme offers bursaries, boarding and transport support, and practical maritime training, including swimming, rowing, sailing, marine safety, seamanship, and even the opportunity to earn a skipper’s licence.

Ms Owen said the programme also provides real-world skills, builds networks, and helps students discover their passions.

“By the time they leave, many have secured tertiary bursaries, learnerships, or entry-level jobs, thanks to the support of Lawhill. When you consider that some of the students we have assisted are orphans, our help becomes even more significant,” she said.

Looking ahead, Ms Owen stressed the importance of policy change to ensure the programme continues to thrive.

“We need a legal framework that accommodates a programme such as ours, and that framework is the Schools Act, which needs to be reviewed and updated,” she said.

Updating the Act would allow schools to offer more industry-focused subjects and enable companies to play a meaningful role in education through governing bodies, unlocking funding, mentorship, and skills development.

“The number and variety of supporters of the Lawhill programme have proven the adage that ‘it takes a village to raise a child’.

In today’s interconnected world, it needs a global village – and Lawhill is fortunate to have one,” she added.