CHRISTOPHER KLEYNHANS
SOUTH AFRICA, 16
Project: Swim For Change
Basic Human Needs: Health
Ever since he could remember, Christopher loved to swim. At age 13, he decided to use his talent to advocate for mental health – a cause he knew affected many of his peers in South Africa, but was not discussed. Christopher held his first annual 12-hour “swimathon,” where he used the physical struggle of endurance swimming to provide insight into the perpetual struggle of mental illness. The positive response from his peers led him to found Swim For Change in 2015. The nonprofit organization works to raise awareness about the importance of mental health, break the stigma associated with mental illness, and educate teachers and parents about properly supporting youth with mental health challenges. Christopher continues to use “swimathons” to fund mental health education and awareness projects, and additionally hosts workshops, podcasts and blogs to create further dialogue surrounding mental wellness. In 2019, Swim For Change was nominated for the International Children’s Peace Prize Award and Christopher was invited to the Nobel Peace Laureate Youth Summit in Merida, Mexico. While Swim For Change has currently impacted 6,000+ young South Africans, Christopher is working to reach at least 20,000 more students in 2020. He also hopes to convince the South African government to implement a national suicide prevention plan and require mental health policies in schools. In the future, Christopher wants to lead mental health workshops in schools in all African nations, and hopefully worldwide.