The Chaeli Campaign is a social justice foundation changing society’s views on the capabilities and role of children with disabilities in South Africa and around the world.
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. Chaeli Mycroft serves as the co-founder and global ambassador for the Chaeli Campaign.
Chaeli Mycroft was diagnosed with cerebral palsy at 11 months old. At age 9, Chaeli was in great need of a new motorized wheelchair, but her family could not afford it, so she, her sister, and three close friends all under 12 years old, created a fundraising project to raise the money themselves, and did so in just seven weeks. Their success inspired them to launch the Chaeli Campaign to champion a more ability-focused and inclusive community in South Africa, and has grown to provide early childhood education, assistive directives, training, therapies and community outreach programs to over 7,000 beneficiaries each year.
The Chaeli Campaign provides inclusive education throughout South Africa, inviting youth to participate in inclusive sports and arts programs, and provide leadership and entrepreneurship opportunities within the disabled community. Chaeli is a human rights advocate, professional artist, and athlete. She won the International Children’s Peace Prize, is working on her PHD, and has broken several world records for marathons, mountain climbing, and dancing, and became the first female quadriplegic to summit Mount Kilimanjaro in 2015. In 2017 Chaeli started the Chaeli Foundation USA with fellow quadripalegic athlete Jean Altomari, and in 2021 created a global ambassadors program with hopes of expanding leadership opportunities to more youth worldwide.
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
Programs include:
Assistive Devices
Inclusive Education
Therapies and Outreach
Advocacy and Training
Leadership through Social Entrepreneurship
Virtual Support Projects
People of all ages are very capable of doing tremendous, courageous things in spite of their fear.
Máiread Corrigan Maguire