Rachel Kolisi sat down with broadcaster Anele Mgudlwa on The Anele Podcast — Her & Now for a conversation that moved from motherhood to healing to financial independence, and back again. Joined by Cindy Poluta, the three women explored the particular pressures of navigating personal growth in public, while raising children through a period of significant change.
Navigating motherhood in 2026 is a constant learning experience, Kolisi said. The tests are hard, and the lessons can be even harder.
The conversation that matters
One of the more striking passages of the interview centred on financial independence and the intersection between economic autonomy and safety for women. Drawing on her work with organisations that support survivors of gender-based violence, Kolisi spoke plainly about what dependency can cost women in dangerous relationships.
The number of women remaining in abusive relationships because they do not have financial independence is outstanding, she said. If I have a platform, it is an incredible opportunity to bring that conversation to the forefront.
She was equally direct about what women are entitled to — a word she used deliberately. Every single one of us is entitled to joy. We are entitled to softness. We are entitled to peace, she said. I have really just taken it on, that it is my portion.
The road tour that felt like therapy
The podcast appearance came on the back of her five-city Falling Forward roadshow, through which she spoke to women about navigating life transitions and personal challenges. Some of the nights felt like a giant therapy session, she said. It allows for a space to acknowledge that we are all, at some point or another, dealing with something that is really life-transforming.
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