PROJECTS
Beautiful Women - Muslim Women's Gym Project
In March 2007 the FGM Program commenced an innovative gymnasium program for Eritrean Muslim women. The Beautiful WomenGym project allows the women to participate in physical exercise while respecting their cultural and religious values and norms.
This project was an initiative of a group of Eritrean women,
who decided that they wanted to get fit, healthy and lose
weight. 30 women enrolled and attended the first six months
with a high participation rate throughout. The women reported
that at the beginning they felt safe, comfortable, happy and
secure in the Muslim women only group but slowly they accessed
all the gym areas to use the equipment and also made friends.
Many of them have achieved their personal fitness goals. In
October 2007 the program expanded and changed venue. In addition
to gym workouts in the public area women now attend the swimming
pool and the sauna in their culturally appropriate swimwear.
