“It's OK not to be OK.”
These wise words came from Springbok captain Siya Kolisi at an exclusive sold-out do in New York this week, when he and his wife, Rachel, held their foundation's inaugural fundraising event.
The two-hour function for an intimate audience of 100, at the prestigious Hall of Fame of the New York Athletic Club, was attended by business executives, athletes and South Africans living in the greater New York area.
Kolisi started off by speaking about South Africa's difficulties and what ubuntu had taught him, adding that he wanted to give back after rugby had offered him invaluable opportunities.
“I wouldn’t be alive today if I didn’t have rugby, because I remember, where I come from, we were smoking and drinking from early on. I think I was eight years old, and we were doing drugs already then,” Kolisi, 32, told the audience. “We would smoke anything you could buy — petrol [and] anything in the townships. Then I went to [rugby] training and felt a sense of belonging — and the person I am today is because of rugby.”
The Kolisi Foundation was established in March 2020 by Siya and Rachel with a vision to address inequality in South Africa — through projects to provide food security, education and sports support, and resources for women and girls disproportionately affected by gender-based violence.
CEO Rachel, who married Siya in 2016, expressed gratitude for the foundation’s first fundraiser in the Big Apple, at which they aimed to raise more than $200,000 (about R3.7m)
I think I was eight -years -old, and we were doing drugs already then.
“It’s been such a beautiful mix of Americans and South Africans here tonight at our very first fundraising event,” she told the Sunday Times. “We’re so grateful for the contributions to our beautiful communities back in South Africa, through generous donations on kolisifoundation.org and our silent auction of Springbok memorabilia.”
The items included Siya's autographed book, Rise: The Brand New Autobiography, as well as signed Springbok rugby balls and jerseys. One of the most popular items was a pair of limited-edition RS15 adidas collaboration rugby boots with various designs on them, such as the words I Love Zwide in Kolisi’s handwriting on the back tab — a message paying tribute to his home township.
Rachel recalled the moment the foundation became a reality. “I remember the night before the World Cup final in 2019. Siya and I had a conversation about what we were going to do about helping others after we won. We made a little list, put the kids to bed, and then sat in the hotel lobby and wrote down what we needed to change in South Africa.
“And that’s where we started the dream of the foundation. Tennis legend Roger Federer was doing a fundraising event in South Africa — in February after the [2019] World Cup. He invited Siya, and it was supposed to be a campaign involving Bill Gates, Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Trevor Noah. And that’s where we spent a lot of time learning and brainstorming with them about fundraising.”
Ted Backer, global head of cross-asset listed derivatives execution at Morgan Stanley in New York, hosted the inaugural event. “I had my honeymoon in South Africa and have always loved rugby, so when I watched Siya’s story on 60 Minutes, it really inspired me. And when my friend Ryan [Mitchell, an MD at Morgan Stanley] said they were looking for people to partner with in New York, it was a true fit ... with my love for the sport, for South Africa, and most of all his incredible story,” he said.
Kolisi Foundation partnerships and resource manager Lauren Budde added: “We’re so excited for our first fundraiser in New York with such an incredible turnout. The hope is that we can create further awareness and cultivate a network of like-minded people wanting to change the stories of inequality in South Africa. We want to really build a network of people we can bring to South Africa to see the change that’s been activated, and they can grow with us along the way.”
“Just take this with you,” concluded the Springbok captain, who moved to Paris last week to join the Racing 92 rugby club. “It’s OK not to be OK. You know, I see people who work so hard and hide everything inside ... and it doesn’t always work out, as I’ve done that before myself.
“If you see someone like that, get them help when you can. We’re all here today, and we can make a difference in this world. But we need to look after ourselves, and after giving so much of our energy, it’s important that we go back and replenish ourselves, so that we can keep giving.”
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