W4C Coaches Named Among South Africa’s Most Inspiring Young People
Every year, the Mail & Guardian’s 200 Young South Africans list spotlights young inspiring leaders quietly doing extraordinary work across the country. This year, two of them are ours. Jamie-Lee Davids and Müminah Cornelius have both been recognised, and we couldn’t be more proud.
Jamie-Lee, 27, is our Surf Therapy Training Manager. She leads W4C’s national surf therapy training programme, developing learning content, mentoring Training Officers, ensuring coaches deliver high-quality, trauma-informed support across multiple sites. At the heart of her work is a belief that every child who enters a Waves for Change programme deserves to feel safe, supported and seen.
Together We Rise. For me, these three words capture everything I believe about this work empowering young people, developing coaches, and creating spaces where people feel valued, included, and capable. I believe in bringing people together, sharing knowledge, and celebrating each other’s strengths. When we lift others up, we all move forward. Ultimately, this quote is a personal reminder that I don’t want to succeed alone. I want my growth to create space for others to grow too.” – Jamie-lee Davids
Müminah, 23, is a Junior Training Officer who joined W4C as a junior coach in 2023. Since then she has steadily progressed. From senior coach to site assistant to her current leadership role where she mentors surf therapy coaches who support children facing adversity. Her philosophy is simple: lead with empathy, invest in people, and trust that growth takes time.
When I joined Waves for Change as a young Muslim girl, I had real reservations. Wearing a fitted wetsuit and removing my scarf didn’t feel like it aligned with my faith and beliefs. But instead of walking away, I found a way to make it work. I felt seen and included. A small compromise that opened a door I didn’t expect. And looking back, what seemed like a minor decision turned out to be one of the most significant of my life.” – Muminah Cornelius
For Waves for Change, this recognition validates what we have always believed: that investing in coaches, their training, their growth, their leadership is the magic ingredient that makes our Surf Therapy programme work. Caring, skilled coaches are one of the most powerful and underutilised levers we have for improving the lives of young people in this country. Jamie-Lee and Müminah are proof of that and they represent a growing cohort of W4C coaches whose work is changing what’s possible for the children and communities they serve.
Congratulations to you both.
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