When 11-year-old Lilitha Matshisi was asked to hop onto a kayak earlier in 2023, he found himself shaking with fear. “I have never been that scared in my life. I kept on thinking, what if I drown?” Meanwhile, 14-year-old Akhumzi Ndabeni felt a huge adrenaline rush. He has been swimming in rivers for as long as he can remember and the prospect of trying his hand at kayaking excited him.