Deaf Glen Marais model: You don’t need your hearing to help others
She's a beauty with brains for accounting, who holds dozens of beauty titles and has a tender heart
As the time of New Year’s resolutions is at our doorsteps once more, one could only wish to be more like Chanika Viljoen (26), a Glen Marais spokesmodel who reaches out to others.
In addition to her list of nearly 40 pageant titles, she recently passed her finals to becoming an accountant.
Looking at her, one would think she’s been abundantly favoured in life but there’s much more to her than a pretty face.
Viljoen was born deaf but she doesn’t allow it to define her, as she stated: “I was born this way and I’m perfectly happy about the manner in which God created me.”
Earlier this year she was appointed as one of the RocoMamas spokespeople for cancer awareness, and her list of titles comes along with heaps of goodwill and contribution to the disabled and cancer community.
“I’ve always had a tender spot for underprivileged children and adults and people who suffer from terminal or incurable illnesses. For the past two years I’ve been involved and active in cancer awareness, along with awareness of orphanages.”
In her charitable capacity, she has also helped with fund-raisers, like donating stationery to children for the new school year.
On December 7, she and fellow spokesmodels representing Carike Pretorius’s Under His Coverings visited two squatter camps where children of the informal settlements each received a goody pack that contained sweets, small toys and a cooldrink.
“I was also a finalist in Miss Deaf South Africa. I’m eager to help the needy in a way that brings them closer to their goals in life as not everything evolves around money. Even if it’s just an affectionate hug, it’s more than money can buy.”
Her goal in Kempton Park is to increase awareness surrounding vagrancy, orphans and cancer. Here, she says, Pretorius has been a tremendous inspiration as she conducts goodwill with such spontaneity.
Viljoen enrolled at Transoranje in Pretoria when she was three, but this school for the deaf and special needs children realised she classified as being hard of hearing.
“I was transferred to Sonitus School and was forced to redo two years in which I had the opportunity to learn how to speak. I believe it was a road paved for me even though there were a lot of tears, happiness and endless love.
“My parents have always been a great inspiration and always told me I could achieve anything with the Lord on my side. With Him, anything is possible. Believe in yourself.”
