About Rachel Swart the Person
The two founders named the Fund after Rachel Swart, born as Rachel Cloete in the Bredasdorp district in 1923. Because they admired her courage they honoured her name. She was born without arms and legs, but developed her skills to function independently, eventually marrying and running her own household. She died unexpectedly in 1955 after the birth of her second child.
History
The Fund was officially registered in 1960 in Cape Town to formalize the charitable work that was already being done by Sir John Ellerman, a British philanthropist, then living part time in Cape Town and Piet Beukes, a well known charismatic South African journalist and friend of Sir John's.
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Our top ten donors
- Anglogold Fund
- Aaron Beare Foundation
- C & E Harding Trust
- Clifford Harris Trust
- DG Murray Trust
- HCI Foundation
- John Ellerman Foundation
- National Lottery Distribution Trust Fund
- Nussbaum Foundation
- Victor Daitz Foundation
Our Committee
- Mr M MacGinty (chairman)
- Mrs H Richter (vice chairman)
- Mr W Combrink
- Mr R Heath
- Mr I Hendricks
- Mrs M Makosana
- Mrs N Miller
- Dr V Ramanjam
- Ms J Vosloo
Our staff
- Joy Badham-Thornhill – Manager
- Mandy Newman – Bookkeeper
- Nathaline Petersen – Secretary