Rachel Kolisi Raises Awareness on Child Safety and System Gaps

Author and founder of the Falling Forward Foundation, Rachel Kolisi, recently took to Instagram to share a deeply emotional message aimed at raising awareness about vulnerable children in South Africa.

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“This will be difficult to read, but it needs to be said,” she wrote, setting the tone for a story that highlights the reality many children face in unsafe environments.

Rachel explained that over the past year, she has been working closely with the Impilo Project. During this time, one of their healthcare workers noticed an eight-year-old girl repeatedly falling asleep in class, which raised concern. A doctor was then asked to assess the child.

“What she shared was devastating,” Rachel said.

She revealed that the young girl had been experiencing ongoing sexual abuse while in foster care. The Impilo Project team immediately stepped in and activated their network of partners to ensure the child’s safety.

“We acted immediately and activated their network of partners,” she explained, describing how different organisations were brought in to respond to the situation.

Rachel added that the team first reached out to the Department of Social Development. “They went to DSD, who despite being overwhelmed and under resourced, offered the best support they could under the circumstances,” she shared.

However, further challenges emerged when additional support was needed. “They then went to a TCC where there were no rape kits available,” Rachel said, highlighting a critical shortage in essential resources.

“Let that sink in,” she repeated, stressing the severity of the gap in the system.

She also spoke about the broader issue affecting the country. “In a country where sexual violence is so widespread, the lack of basic resources like rape kits is unacceptable,” she said.

Rachel noted the scale of the problem, adding that “over 100 rape cases are reported every day in South Africa — and many others go unreported.”

Despite the challenges, organisations such as Mosaic and the Saartjie Baartman Centre stepped in quickly to provide urgent help.

“In the last 24 hours, organisations like @mosaicngo and @saartjiebaartmancentre have stepped in with urgency and care,” she shared.

She further explained that the children involved are now in a safer environment. “She and her sister have now been removed and placed in a safe environment with an organisation we trust,” Rachel said.

“They now need to start over,” she added, noting that this includes a new school, uniforms, stationery, and ongoing support.

Rachel also highlighted the strain on organisations providing care. “The home they are in also cares for other children from similar situations and relies entirely on donor funding,” she explained.

She shared that she has now officially registered the Falling Forward Foundation. “I will share more about it soon, but right now the priority is to make sure these girls, and the organisations protecting them, have what they need,” she said.

Rachel ended her message with a strong call to action. “If you would like to contribute, please consider donating,” she urged.

“If you can’t give, please share,” she added. “Awareness matters. Pressure matters. Change only happens when we refuse to look away.”