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The benefits of participating in group fitness activities, such as gym classes or recreational sports, can have a positive impact on both physical and mental health. However, many women still face barriers to regular exercise. Ella Al-Shamahi talks to two women from India and Uganda who have created grassroots fitness communities exclusively for women. Mildred Apeno is the founder of FitcliqueAfrica, a women-only gym that is the first of its kind in Uganda. She says issues such as competing for space, safety and finding socially acceptable workout clothes make going to the gym a daunting prospect for many women in East Africa. Her Kampala-based startup focuses on women's overall health and safety rather than achieving the “perfect body” through classes ranging from strength training to African yoga and even self-defense workshops. Shweta Subbiah co-founded Sisters In Sweat in 2017 in Bangalore with a mission to help the alarming percentage of women in India who quit sports after school or college for a variety of reasons. She notes that there is virtually no organized recreational sports for women in India and wants women to have a platform to participate and enjoy sports with a community of like-minded people. Producer: Hannah Dean (Image: (left) Shweta Subbiah, photo by Rohit Sarkar. (right) Mildred Apeño, photo by Shanin Ahimbisibwe).
