Children with disabilities around the globe are considered to be strange, and they’re actions are limited. Many people with disabilities are more likely to experience unfair treatment from others. Some are discriminated and aren’t accepted by people due to a disability (Disability Facts). One disabled girl wants to bring a change to this cycle, and stand up for children with disabilities. Chaeli Mycroft, who was born with Cerebral Palsy, decided to raise money, inspire and give hope to the disabled children of Africa.
Chaeli’s optimism and hope for disabled people is what is driving her to helping others like her. Many people see Chaeli’s disability as problem or a limitation, but she herself sees it as many possibilities. Her happiness and hope, even with her limits, inspire many others. “Hope is what keeps us going. It’s what keeps us striving for the lives we deserve. I have hope for myself, but I also have hope for all other children with disabilities. We are all different and we all have the need to be accepted regardless of having a disability or not”. Her hope for children with disabilities is driving her to help others and give inspiration to people like herself. She believes that disabled people are still people and deserve the acceptance of others, no matter what race or religion they are. People with disabilities are still people, not aliens. The campaign gives the rights to disabilities and helps them to be accepted. “I see it as my gift that I can share to the rest of the world, that disabled people are still people who has the same needs and rights”. Chaeli believes that everyone is the same, whether disabled or not, people who have the same needs and rights. This belief gives her the goal of helping disabled children with equipment and physical therapy to defend their rights and acceptance.
Collecting money for her motorized wheelchair is what started the Chaeli Campaign. Her determination to buy the wheelchair yielded many ideas to get the money. Chaeli, her sister, and a few other friends sold postcards, cookies, and handmade flower pots, and when she finally bought herself the wheelchair, she wanted to give the feeling of independence to other children as well. Chaeli’s simple acts has earned her enough money for a motorized wheelchair, granting her independence, so she doesn’t have to rely on people to push her around. After obtaining the wheelchair within several weeks, she finally feels the freedom of an independent person, through this she wants other people to feel independent and free themselves. Chaeli and her team of entrepreneurs shortly obtained their goal in a few weeks, in fact, they even exceeded their goal. When they had more than enough money, Chaeli decided she would help other people with disabilities too. When they raised more than enough money for Chaeli’s wheelchair, she decided that she would help others using money she has collected, thus starting the Chaeli Campaign which collects money and helps many children annually.
Chaeli continues to help children with disabilities because her experience as a person who has a disability drives her to collect money for the cause; she is an inspiration to all and beacon of hope to many. The Chaeli Campaign helps over 3000 children annually with the help of Chaeli, winning herself the 2011 Children Peace Prize Award. Disabled people have a right to be treated fairly, to be accepted and although Cerebral Palsy curses Chaeli’s life with the limitations of her arms and legs, she is going to be the one who brings change for children with disabilities everywhere.
Work Cited:
- http://childrenspeaceprize.org/childrens-peace-price/2011-chaeli-mycroft/
- http://www.kidsrights.org/InternationalChildrensPeacePrize/Winners.aspx
- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=24zQ13hQfKI&feature=youtu.be
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