Rachel Kolisi has shared a reflective look at how her life and work have evolved, describing a major personal and professional shift as she steps into a new phase of purpose-driven impact.
Speaking during a recent conversation on the Do One Better Podcast hosted by Alberto Lidji, Kolisi described her journey as one of transition, growth and renewed focus. She reflected on how much has changed since her earlier work in the nonprofit sector, particularly during and after her time leading initiatives through the Kolisi Foundation.
Kolisi explained that she is now focusing her energy on strengthening South Africa’s broader nonprofit ecosystem, with a particular emphasis on supporting smaller, grassroots organisations that are often doing vital work but lack visibility, funding and institutional support.
Her new initiative, Falling Forward, is built around a simple but powerful idea: helping smaller organisations that are already making a meaningful difference but struggle to scale or gain exposure.
“The non-profit sector often works in silos, and there is very little collaboration that happens because organisations are after the same funding, and all doing amazing work, can sometimes become a very competitive environment,” she said during the interview.
Kolisi added that her time away from formal structures helped her realise how many small organisations are doing impactful work across South Africa without sufficient recognition or resources.
“What I found during my break between the Kolisi Foundation and Falling Forward was that there are so many small, incredible foundations doing phenomenal work in South Africa, but have very little access to exposure,” she explained.
She said her goal is not to reinvent existing systems or duplicate programmes, but rather to amplify what already exists and connect it with people who want to help.
“I’ve been very privileged to grow a platform that does have a lot of eyes on it. I really want to showcase the phenomenal work that organisations are doing in South Africa. I’m not interested in reinventing the wheel. I think there’s more than enough programmes, but not enough eyes on the work that is happening,” she said.
Moving Away From Bureaucracy
Kolisi also reflected on her experience with the Kolisi Foundation, acknowledging the value of its growth while noting that increased structure sometimes made it harder to respond quickly to urgent needs.
As organisations scale, she said, they often become more administrative and less flexible, which can slow down practical interventions.
“I found that it was further and further away from the way I wanted to work in the non-profit sector and was becoming a lot more structured in the way that some of the bigger organisations are and in some ways losing the ability to see an issue and address an issue immediately, even if you’re able to,” she said.
With Falling Forward, she hopes to return to a more agile, responsive model—one that can act quickly on real-world problems such as urgent repairs or community needs without long administrative delays.
Encouraging Everyday Action
Kolisi emphasised that meaningful change does not always require large-scale interventions. Instead, she believes in creating opportunities for everyday people to contribute in practical and accessible ways, whether through volunteering, donating or simply supporting community initiatives.
“The issues, not only in South Africa, but in the world, can feel so overwhelming, so impossible… I want to create opportunities for an everyday individual that wants to do good, can do good,” she said.
Staying Grounded Through Challenges
Acknowledging the emotional demands of working in the nonprofit sector, Kolisi spoke openly about how she manages difficult days and stays grounded in her mission.
She said she has learned to accept that conflicting emotions can exist at the same time, and that moments of frustration do not cancel out purpose or progress.
“There are days when I feel completely disheartened and frustrated, and then you need to realign yourself and change the way you are thinking about it and focus on why you started this work in the first place,” she said.
Kolisi added that she often returns to the core motivation behind her work—service, compassion and a desire to make a difference in people’s lives—especially during challenging periods.
Small Actions, Lasting Impact
Inspired by global philanthropists such as Melinda French Gates, Kolisi highlighted the importance of trust-based giving and focusing on overlooked areas of need.
She emphasised that change does not always come from large-scale systems, but often begins with small, consistent acts of kindness and support.
Her message throughout the conversation was clear: real impact is built step by step, through individuals, communities and organisations working together to make a difference where it is needed most.
