Philanthropist and public figure Rachel Kolisi has sparked a national conversation on the state of child protection in South Africa. In a sobering account shared on social media, Kolisi detailed a recent intervention involving an 8-year-old survivor, using the tragedy to highlight the dire lack of resources at the frontline of sexual violence response.
The Case that Exposed the System
The harrowing journey began when a healthcare worker from the Impilo Project noticed an 8-year-old student repeatedly falling asleep in class. A medical assessment followed, revealing a devastating reality: the child had been enduring ongoing sexual abuse while in foster care.
While the Impilo team moved quickly to activate emergency protocols, they were met with significant systemic hurdles:
- Department of Social Development (DSD): Though they provided support, Kolisi noted they remain “overwhelmed and under-resourced.”
- Thuthuzela Care Centres: In a shocking revelation, Rachel noted that the facility where the child was taken had no rape kits available at the time—a shortage she attributes to the sheer volume of cases in the country.
“Over 100 rape cases are reported every day in South Africa, and many others go unreported,” Kolisi wrote, urging the public to sit with the weight of those statistics.
A New Chapter: The Falling Forward Foundation
Thanks to the urgent intervention of the Mosaic and the Saartjie Baartman Centre, the survivor and her sibling were successfully moved to a place of safety.
Inspired by the need for more robust support networks, Rachel announced that she has officially registered the Falling Forward Foundation. While a formal launch is expected soon, the foundation’s immediate focus is securing resources for shelters and organizations that are currently stretched to their limits.
A Call to Action
Rachel concluded her message with an urgent appeal for donations. Noting that most shelters rely almost entirely on private funding, she called on the public to support the frontliners who ensure survivors have a safe place to heal.
