About us: Our vision and advocacy

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 work done through The Chaeli Campaign is true to its slogan: ‘For Kids Like Chaeli’. Through its programmes, this work continues to champion a more ability-focused and inclusive world.

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
Treasurer:	Shukri Wiener
Secretary:	Justine Rushby

Members:

Chelsea Terry

Warren Patientia

Bruce Wilsnagh: (ex officio)

OUR TEAM

Zelda Mycroft

CEO

Diane Terry

FINANCIAL MANAGER

Chaeli Mycroft

MANAGER OF RELATIONSHIPS + FUNDING

Rosemary Luger

THERAPIES

Debbie Prudhomme

INCLUSIVE PRESCHOOL

Olwethu Nqevu

PROGRAMME MANAGER

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

The Chaeli Campaign:

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”

Chaeli Mycroft:

Credit: Roy Beusker – KidsRights

OUR PATRONS

Bruce Wilsnagh

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

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.