For Rachel Kolisi, life has been shaped by moments of profound love, resilience and reinvention. A South African leader, philanthropist, entrepreneur and bestselling author of Falling Forward, Rachel has built her life and work around a simple but powerful belief: even the chapters we never would have chosen can shape our greatest purpose.

Through the Falling Forward Foundation and her work advocating for women, equality and social justice, she continues to create spaces for people to heal, grow and thrive. This Women’s Month, that message is travelling across the country through the Falling Forward Roadshow, which began in Johannesburg on 10 August and will conclude in Gqeberha on 23 September.

 

In conversation with Batswadi, Rachel shares the ten moments that changed her life, and the lessons she carries with her into every new chapter.

 

1. Surviving the Bus Crash at Nine

At nine years old, I survived a bus crash that claimed the life of one of my best friends. It was my first experience of profound loss and taught me, far too young, that life is incredibly fragile. It shaped the way I value people, live intentionally and never take a single day for granted.

 

2. My Mom Leaving Home

At the age of 14, my mom left our family home. It was a season that forced me to grow up quickly. It strengthened the bond between my siblings and me, and they became my greatest support system. Through hardship, I learnt the importance of family, resilience and showing up for one another.

 

3. Surviving Bacterial Meningitis at 17

At 17, I contracted bacterial meningitis and nearly lost my life. Facing death at such a young age gave me a deep appreciation for life. It reminded me that every day is a gift and inspired me to live with greater purpose, gratitude and courage.

 

4. Building Rise

 

Co-founding my first business, Rise, a fitness and wellness community for women, was where I first discovered my passion for creating spaces that empowered women while encouraging mental and physical well-being. It taught me how to lead, build a business with purpose and inspire confidence in others. Looking back, it laid the foundation for so much of what I would go on to build in the years that followed.

 

5. Becoming a Mom

 

Becoming a mom has been my greatest privilege and my greatest teacher. The children in my life have taught me unconditional love, patience, perspective and purpose. Every decision I make is influenced by the kind of example I hope to set for them.

 

6. Getting Married 

At the time, getting married was a commitment I believed would last forever. Although life didn’t unfold the way I had imagined, I still look back on that chapter with gratitude. It was built on love, hope and the belief that it would last forever. Every season, even those that change, shapes who we become.

 

7. Leading the Kolisi Foundation

 

Serving as CEO of the Kolisi Foundation was one of the greatest privileges of my career. Leading the Foundation deepened my understanding of what it means to bring people together around a shared purpose. My role was to ensure that the heart behind the work remained at the centre of every decision we made. It was a chapter that shaped both the way I lead and my understanding of what lasting impact truly looks like.

 

8. Writing My First Memoir

 

Writing and publishing Falling Forward was one of the most vulnerable things I’ve ever done. It required me to revisit painful moments, but it also became part of my healing. More importantly, it reminded me that our stories have the power to give others hope, courage and permission to keep moving forward.

 

9. Walking Through Divorce

 

Navigating divorce was one of the most difficult seasons of my life. It broke me in many ways, but it also became the beginning of rebuilding. I learnt that healing isn’t linear, that vulnerability is strength, and that sometimes your greatest growth comes from the chapters you never expected to live.

 

10. Creating the Falling Forward Foundation

 

Launching the Falling Forward Foundation marked the beginning of a new chapter. Community work has always been a part of who I am, so I always knew that whatever came next would involve serving others and creating meaningful impact.

 

More than anything, the Foundation has reinforced my belief that we don’t need more organisations. We need more people championing and investing in the incredible individuals and organisations already doing the hard work on the ground. If we can use our platform to shine a light on them, bring people together and help unlock greater support for their work, then we’ve achieved exactly what we set out to do.

 

Bonus: Rediscovering My Identity

 

In my mid-thirties, I realised that saying “yes” to everyone often meant saying “no” to myself. Learning to set healthy boundaries transformed the way I lead, love and live. It taught me that my worth isn’t found in my achievements, the roles I hold or what others think of me, but in who I am.