Our Team

Meet the NOSTOP Family

Charlene CM Miles

Founder and Executive Director

Peter

van Wyk

Chairperson

Ayesha

Gabriels

Treasurer

TBD

Secretary

Executive Director and Founder: Ms. CCM Miles.

Charlene Miles – Founder & Executive Director of NOSTOP NPO

Professional Experience: 36 years

Charlene Miles is the Founder and Executive Director of NOSTOP NPO (Never Overthink Situations, Treat Opportunities Passionately), a vibrant community organisation dedicated to service, healing, and empowerment. With over three decades of professional experience, Charlene has worked across various departments within the Western Cape Government, gaining valuable insights into organisational transformation, public management, and human resource development. Her extensive career spans government, business, and non-profit sectors, allowing her to bring a unique blend of leadership, strategic management, and heartfelt community engagement to her current role.

She is a highly qualified Human Resource Practitioner, Community Art Facilitator, Scribble Meditation Facilitator, and trained Trauma Counsellor, with expertise in human resource policy and practice, organisational transformation, training and development, performance management, mentoring, coaching, and project management. Charlene is also a qualified Assessor, Moderator, and Skills Development Facilitator.

Her extensive educational background includes:

Honours in Public Management – University of Stellenbosch

National Diploma in Human Resource Management – Cape Peninsula University of Technology (CPUT)

Postgraduate Executive Management Development Programme – University of Stellenbosch

Senior Management Programme – University of the Western Cape (Western Cape Public Management Trust)

Senior Executive Management Programme – Tshwane University of Technology

Certificate in Labour Law in the Workplace – University of the Western Cape (UWC) Personnel

Management Certificate – Administration and Commerce

Women in Leadership Certificate – University of Stellenbosch

In addition to her academic achievements, Charlene’s research contributions include a mini-thesis titled “The Importance of Interpersonal Skills for Management in the Western Cape Government” and published articles on Innovation in Government and Diversity Management in Provincial Government.

Charlene’s career highlights include founding and managing her own HR consultancy business, working within engineering, entertainment, and trading sectors, as well as managing a jazz/gospel band. She is also an active community leader, serving as a Ward Committee Member for the City of Cape Town representing Arts and Culture, and a Committee Member of the Local Organising Committee with the South African Police Service (SAPS).

Under her visionary leadership, NOSTOP NPO has developed and implemented impactful programmes addressing food security, youth development, mental wellness, arts and culture, and skills training. Charlene continues to pursue further training in counselling and mental wellness, strengthening her commitment to holistic community empowerment.

Charlene exemplifies lifelong learning, resilience, and compassionate leadership — embodying the mission that no one should be trapped or powerless in their circumstances.

Chairperson and Music Director: Peter van Wyk.

Peter van Wyk was born in Bredarsdorp Western Cape. He attended Bishop Lavis High School. Since childhood he had a passion for music, especially guitar. Played in the church band , later on joined a private gospel band, played at functions and weddings. He want to plough back music knowledge to the community and volunteered to join NOSTOP NPO. He believes that through music one can change the negativity that is currently experiencing in the community and by doing this it can make our country a more loveable and safe place for all.

Peter is currently teaching kids in Scottsville guitar lessons 4 days a week after school. We are blessed to have Peter as part of NOSTOP Team. In addition to this position in the organisation he is also the Chairperson of the board. He is bringing various knowledge and skills to the organisation.

Treasurer and Operational Manager: Aysha Gabriels

Aysha is married with no children, only cats.

She obtained her BAdmin degree in 1996 at the University of the Western Cape. Major in Industrial Psychology. She started within the Western Cape Government in 1992 as an Admin Clerk in a training section and left the department in 2018 where she was an Assistant Director within Human Resource Management with a strong focus Performance Management in Department of the Premier.

Currently she is a travel agent in partnership with a family member and likes to travel the world.

Aysha is a very committed, loyal and highly motivated worker with outstanding relations with colleagues’ seniors and juniors. She has a strong sense for empathy and respect of dignity for clients and her community. It is for this reason she avails herself as a volunteer and to join the NOSTOP Family where she will also be responsible for the financial matters.

Our Volunteers

We are so grateful to all our volunteers for partnering with us to make a difference in our communities.

Volunteer (Paralegal)

We want to welcome this amazing lady to our team at NOSTOP NPO. Robyn Lee-Anne Samuels is a Candidate Attorney who will be our volunteer at NOSTOP as a paralegal. She has her LLB degree and Practical Legal Training (University of Pretoria Enterprises) She is passionate in what she is doing and we are privilege and blessed to have her as part of our team.

Volunteer (Community Art Facilitator )

Sodam Lee is a Community Art Facilitator (CAF) and coordinator of the NOSTOP Community Art Programme. She was born in South Korea and grew up in Cape Town. She holds BTech and MTech in Graphic Design from the Cape Peninsula University of Technology (CPUT). She also completed the Early Beginnings Module offered by Butterfly Art Project to be a qualified CAF. In addition to NOSTOP CAF, she is a visual communication freelance designer who specialised in illustration and typography. Her strengths align with critical and creative thinking. Sodam believes that creativity is problem-solving tools and activities. Her design approach is to identify the problem and address the problem through creativity. Furthermore, she has a passion for visual art. She believes that art is an expressive medium that does not only denotes to some pretty pictures but as a tool to understand self and the world around us. Sodam hopes to combine design’s creative thinking and art as a reflective tool to create a healthy environment for the disadvantaged community.

Volunteer (Music Tutor)

Oluwaseyi, with strong background in Business Management is also an instrumentalist and music director with many years of experience. He is passionate about youth development and catching them young. He has trained many children and youth Jazz, Continental and African music including musical instruments. He has worked with NPOs in the Western Cape, Gauteng, Limpopo, and Eastern Cape. He has participated in community development projects using music as his focus based in South Africa especially within the Western Cape Province. He has the passion for raising awareness of services and deliver value to communities in need.

Volunteer (Community Art Facilitator)

Karla Fraser grew up in Cape Town and trained as a Community Art Facilitator with the Butterfly Art Project. She graduated with a B.A. (Psych) from University of Cape Town and also completed studies in Shiatsu and Acupuncture due to her interest in wholistic health. She has worked mainly in the fields of publishing, editing and the web. She believes passionately in the therapeutic and developmental value of art and that all children should have the opportunity to creatively express themselves, as well as experience the joy of making art. Karla also provides counselling to children and youth who attend our sessions/afterschool programme.

Volunteer (Afterschool Tutor)

Mariana Bolumole is an educator with 36 years working experience both as welfare coordinator and classroom teacher in within the Western Cape Province Public Schools. Mariana has been very active in her community and in 2014, she was a fieldworker at the University of Stellenbosch research project on HIV/AIDS and methamphetamine. She is a musician and currently an organist in the Anglican Church. Mariana assisted with the feeding schemes in Belhar Community where she engaged in the provision of shelter materials for displaced women and children. She is passionate about children development hence she engages with her community kids after school with extramural activities.

Volunteer (Admin)

Khangelwa Mnyaka is an ambitious female who is an organized and goal-oriented individual, prepared to achieve the goals of her career, and is always looking for a challenge to enhance her skills and knowledge. She developed her desire in Public Management and Electric Artisan to empower more knowledge. She has worked for SAPS (Human Resource) as Personnel Officer (intern) under Recruitment and Promotion, WCED (Metro South District) as an Admin clerk (intern) and Ikapa Water Reticulation and Flow. She’s self motivated hard worker who likes to interact with others and adapt easily to different situations/environment. She can also perform physical work. Her passion is to serve community even if it’s not going to benefit her financially but mental she will grow.

Volunteer (Admin)

Simone is a registered wellness counselor in the pre-category candidate status. She recently completed her Honours, majoring in Industrial Psychology. Her goal is to serve her community through her passion for helping people by this counseling in the future, and another goal is to work as an HR professional.

Volunteer (Admin)

Aysha is married with no children, only cats. She obtained her BAdmin degree in 1996 at the University of the Western Cape. Major in Industrial Psychology. She started within the Western Cape Government in 1992 as an Admin Clerk in a training section and left the department in 2018 where she was an Assistant Director within Human Resource Management with a strong focus Performance Management in Department of the Premier. Currently she is a travel agent in partnership with a family member and likes to travel the world. Aysha is a very committed, loyal and highly motivated worker with outstanding relations with colleagues’ seniors and juniors. She has a strong sense for empathy and respect of dignity for clients and her community. It is for this reason she avails herself as a volunteer and to join the NOSTOP Family where she will also be responsible for the financial matters.

Volunteer

Leandi is a qualified Social Worker with just under 10 years of experience in the field, working with individuals, families, and the communities in which they live. Having worked in both provincial and local government, she have been exposed to a wide array of different social and economic settings and have worked with a vast clientele. She is committed and self-motivated and passionate about the development and empowerment of people. She values and respects their self-determination, resiliency, and courage to change. Since change is inevitable and the only constant in this world, she has come to embrace being a wife, mother, and a recent relocation from Johannesburg.

Our Advisors

We are surrounded by professional strategic advisors who help to facilitate workshops, coach, mentor, and advice.

NOSTOP currently uses the service of Frank Julie.

Frank Julie is an organizational development consultant, strategist, advisor, mentor, lecturer, and facilitator with a master’s degree in Adult Education obtained from the University of Cape Town. His journey in the non-profit sector started over 40 years as a volunteer, community organizer, programs manager and director. His involvement in professional fundraising spans almost 3 decades. He is the founder of various organizations amongst others YoungPeople@Work, people First Foundation, Food Relief Alliance of South Africa. Fundraising mentoring Network and Music Academy for Rural Youth.

Dr Emmanuel Idemudia Ilori is from a multidisciplinary background encompassing Social and Management sciences with a BSc (Hons) Business Administration obtained from the University of Ado Ekiti (Now Ekiti State University, Ado Ekiti, Nigeria) B.Com (Hons) Management, Masters in Public Administration and a PhD degree in Public Administration obtained from the University of the Western Cape, South Africa. A dedicated professional with keen research interest in Public Policy, Governance, Development, Monitoring and Evaluation, Empowerment, Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) Development. Dr Emmanuel has 4 years banking experience with United Bank for Africa Plc, Marina, Lagos Nigeria and 9 years research and teaching experience at the University of the Western Cape. He has teaching and research experience at Cape Peninsula University of Technology (CPUT). He was a Professor at School of Philosophy, Sociology and Political Science, University of West Timisoara, Romania and he did his postdoctoral fellowship at National Research University Higher School of Public Policy, Moscow, Russia and Faculty of Business and Management Sciences, Cape Peninsula University of Technology, Cape Town, South Africa. (CPUT). Dr Emmanuel attended the Maastricht University School of Business, Netherlands in 2014 for a postgraduate exchange program under the European Union Scholarship program. He has attended numerous academic conferences in South Africa, Romania, Russia, Canada, United States of America (USA) to mention a few where he has presented academic papers. Dr Emmanuel has published papers in international accredited journals. He was a consultant in the Entrepreneurship Empowerment South Africa (EESA) 2012 where he facilitated SMEs and entrepreneurial training, capacity building and mentorship skills to young South Africans in Khayelitsha, Gugulethu and Langa in Cape Town. Dr Emmanuel passion for youth and women empowerment, entrepreneurship skills, sustainable development policy, poverty eradication, project management and governance are topnotch. A well dedicated fellow with passion for youth development in Africa.