WELCOME TO
THE CHAELI CAMPAIGN
The Chaeli Campaign was founded on 6 August 2004 by five girls between the ages of 6 and 12. Chaeli and Erin Mycroft and their lifelong friends, Tarryn, Justine and Chelsea Terry, started a project to raise R20 000 for Chaeli’s motorised wheelchair. They managed to do this in 7 weeks by selling cards with their artwork on them and Sunshine Pots (DIY miniature pot plants).
The five founders form the blueprint that embodies the can-do spirit that arises when inclusion is part of our every-day life. It is this spirit of collaboration that is central to all our programmes.
Our Vision is to mobilise the minds and bodies of children with disabilities and to normalise society through advocacy and education programmes and events.
WHO WE ARE
The Objectives of The Chaeli Campaign are to:
- Promote and provide the mobility and educational needs of disabled children;
- Use its facilities and resources to assist the disabled community in any way it sees fit;
- Work in collaboration with other organisations for the advancement of the disabled community;
- Act as a facilitator to other centres / organisations / communities.
OUR BOARD
| Chairperson: | Tarryn Terry-Meredith: Co-founder; Software Developer; PhD candidate (UCT) |
| Treasurer: | Chantal Fisher: Health Consultant |
| Ex Officio Member: | Bruce Wilsnagh: Businessman/Entrepreneur |
| Members: | Justine Rushby: Co-founder; Educator Warren Patientia: (Music Educator at SACS) Chelsea Terry: Co-founder; BSC (Hons) (UCT), Junior software developer Carmin Burton: Financial Advisor |
OUR TEAM
Photo credit: Marike Herselman
FRIENDS OF
THE CHAELI
CAMPAIGN
In 2006, as we entered our 3rd year of existence as a Non-Profit Organisation, we felt the need to find a way of acknowledging individuals who supported The Chaeli Campaign in a special way. These are people who have placed themselves in a category of their own when it comes to reaching outside of themselves in their caring attitude, giving of their time and expertise and responding to the generous spirit which drives them to help others.
OUR GRATEFUL APPRECIATION TO:
2006
Eric Atmore
Wendy Radford
Antony Kirk
Amber Gardiner
Rosemary Duncan
David Bowen
Jonathan Buckley
Sian Buckley
Jenna Lowe
Melanie Lowry
Mjaimbo Katamzi
Scholtz van Wyk
Tanya Jovanovski
Sue Chevallier
2007
Alistair King
James Barty
Kevan Edwards
Helen van Rhyn
Ronelle Colyn
Etienne Grobler
Robin Millerd
2008
Andre Oosthuizen
Andrew Zollie
Jenny Phillips
Kenneth Carden
Louise van Rhyn
2009
David King
Robin King
Robin Vember
Tony de Smidt
2010
Kirsty Carden
Mathhew Withers
Tracy Cohen
2011
Craig Sieben
Michelle Johns
2012
Corrie Lotter
Vilia Celliers
2013
Elise Kruger
Gary Kruger
Grant Kruger
Gary Vink
2014
Brendon de Smidt
Doug Murray
Maria Murray
Selwyn Eagle
2015
Deirdre Gower
Lohann Roelofse
Martha Spruit
Peter Versveld
2016
Sandy Stevens
2017
Bobby Perel
Bruce Wilsnagh
2018
Alexa Da Costa
Kristina Madonna
2021
David Scheinbar
Russell Mycroft
2023
Shelly Stedman
2024
Jenny Stedman
AWARDS
Our Founders with Kenyan President – Uhuru Kenyata
Western Cape Department Culture and Sport Award
| 2006 | Lions Club International: Louis Volks Humanitarian Award |
| 2006 | Proudly South African Awards: Nation-Builder of the Year |
| 2009 | SA Social Entrepreneur Awards: Winner Youth Social Entrepreneur Award |
| 2009 | Cape Town Mayor’s Medal for Social Affairs and Services |
| 2014 | African finalist in the 2014 Global Innovation in Education Awards |
| 2014 | Western Cape Dept Culture and Sport Award: Best Disability project in Visual Arts, Performing Arts and Literary Arts Award |
| 2017 | Best-Practice Model of Inclusive ECD in EU/CECD/PSPPD Research Report: “Effective early childhood development programme options meeting the needs of young South African children”. |
| 2023 | Forbes Woman Africa Young Achievers Award: Chaeli Mycroft |
| 2011 | International Children’s Peace Prize |
| 2012 | Medal for Social Activism by Nobel Peace Laureates |
| 2013 | World of Children Youth Award Recipient |
| 2015 | 1st female quadriplegic to summit Mt Kilimanjaro 3 September 2015 |
| 2018 | Obama Foundation African Leader |
| 2018 | Global Change-maker |
| 2019 | World of Children Hero Award |
| 2019 | Generation Unlimited Global Leadership Council |
| 2020 | Tällberg Emerging Leaders Initiative |
| 2021 | Billion Acts of Peace Winner; Self-publishes first book: “Unapologetically Able” |
Credit: Roy Beusker – KidsRights
OUR PATRONS
Bruce Wilsnagh was born, raised and educated in Cape Town. Since 1997 Bruce has worked in Central, Eastern and Southern Africa in the area of sales and marketing, with the first 22 years exclusively with his first employer with whom he commenced his career at the age of 20.
Bruce’s interests remain around sports and the outdoors. He has long since hung up his hockey and cricket boots but has swapped these sports for golf. Hiking and spending time outdoors remain important past-times for both him and his wife, Anschi – something they do together as often as they can.
Bruce’s journey with The Chaeli Campaign began early on, being lured in by the positive energy and outlook by the team members one memorable afternoon at the Bergvliet Sports Association. Bruce served as a Chaeli Campaign Board member from 2007 to 2020 with thirteen years as Chairman of the Board. In 2020 Bruce stepped down from his Board duties and accepted the role of Patron of The Chaeli Campaign. A shared journey worth celebrating.
Rob Vember is a multi-award winning broadcaster who has worked for some of South Africa’s most iconic media brands across radio and television. Rob holds a degree in Journalism & Media Studies, and Politics from Rhodes University in South Africa’s Eastern Cape Province, and an MBA from the University of Cape Town’s Graduate School of Business. Rob’s MBA journey took him to the United States where he spent a semester studying international business at The George Washington University. Rob serves as Senior Advisor to the Washington D.C. based Global Business School Network, an organisation with a mission to improve management and entrepreneurial education in the developing world. In addition to his role as Patron of The Chaeli Campaign, Rob is an Advisory Board member for Management Skills for Wildlife Conservation, a non-profit aimed at empowering local communities to manage conservation.