South African co-founder and chief executive of the Kolisi Foundation Rachel Kolisi urges mothers to embrace strength, courage and grace while allowing faith to guide their journeys.
Kolisi was the keynote speaker and guest at the fourth edition of Motherhood Namibia, held in Windhoek on Saturday under the theme ‘Sparkle, Shine, Celebrate You’.
Addressing mothers at the event, Kolisi said motherhood does not require perfection. She called on women to remain strong while showing kindness and grace.
“Mothers need to be fierce and courageous. We can also be graceful and kind and allow God to be part of our journey. No one is asking us to be perfect, but we can try to be strong, and that is the beauty of it all,” she said.
The annual event is organised by Motherhood Namibia, which seeks to celebrate, empower and support mothers.
Founder Selma Bachler said empowering mothers remains central to the organisation’s work.
For some attendees, the event provided an opportunity to connect with other mothers and gain support.
Liina Kapenda on Saturday said: “This is not what I expected. For an event like this, I got to feel appreciated. We got to network and learn from one another.”
She said the encouragement was particularly important for mothers who sometimes question whether they are doing enough.
Motherhood Namibia was established as a platform to recognise mothers beyond traditional Mother’s Day celebrations. The initiative began with ‘Mom’s Day Off’ and has since evolved into ‘Mom’s Night Off’ introduced this year.
The organisation has identified sustainable funding as one of its key challenges, particularly while keeping its activities accessible to mothers from different backgrounds.
Kolisi was selected as keynote speaker because of her advocacy for women and children and her community work, which the organisers said align with the initiative’s focus on resilience, leadership, compassion and service.
After leaving Namibia yesterday, Kolisi shared her experience on social media, saying she had enjoyed the event, touring parts of Windhoek, and experiencing the country’s culture.
She said she wished she had more time in Namibia.
