Sport en Commun

Project supported by BVDA

Burera Volunteers for Development is a non-profit communal, non-political organisation run by youngsters and located in the province in the North of Rwanda. The organisation was set up in 2005 and aims at promoting and improving the living conditions and health levels of communities in the province in the North of Rwanda.

"Fit-Sistaz Rwanda" is a one-year pilot project implemented in Kigali City with the aim of assisting 25,000 young women in preventing depression and obesity through sports activity. Three fitness centres and an online platform shall be set up to secure safe spaces for young women, and girls from poorer areas and/or victims of connubial violence.

Context

For the World Bank, obesity’s prevalence among women (18-year-olds and over) was 9.3 % in 2016 and depression represented over 15% among 21- to 30-year-old young women in Kigali, Rwanda’s capital city. The main causes identified are: their partners’ infidelity, lack of confidence, economic dependence, drug and substance addiction, the lack of practice of a sporting activity and above all a bad diet. So were they often exposed to non transmissible diseases such as diabetes, hypertension, cancer and sometimes mental health disorders. Therefore, the strategy recommended by BVDA Association is to create the conditions necessary to physical activity because of its multiple advantages regarding improving the person’s health and quality of life.

Objectives

Reducing the prevalence of depression as a major mental disease among young women or young married couples in Kigali City in Rwanda by 2021
Increasing access to the sporting practice for 21- to 35-year-old young mothers by creating and equipping free gyms in Kigali City
Reducing the prevalence of domestic violence and depression by launching promotional campaigns of fitness and women’s rights in Kigali City by 2021
Reducing the prevalence of obesity and overweight among young women and girls thanks to physical and nutritional education in Kigali City in Rwanda by 2021

Activities

Hiring and training 50 physical education teachers and nutritionists on educating to a healthy diet, women’s rights, the relationship between obesity and depression among married couples, gender-based violence and the prevention of depression
Organising awareness raising campaigns on fitness and women’s rights in Kigali City by December 2020
Setting up 15 women’s and girls’ clubs that will help sensitise the population to women’s rights, a healthy diet and to sporting practice in Kigali City from January 2021 to April 2021
Putting up 25 media and radio campaigns on women’s rights’ promotion and the benefits of both practising sport and a healthy diet in preventing non transmissible diseases like hypertension and diabetes in Kigali City from May 2021 to July 2021
Creating an online platform on which the educators shall be sharing nutritional advice and daily exercises to be done by women members
Organising a monthly marathon for young women and girls in Kigali along with free consultation for hypertension and blood sugar

Impacts

25,000 girls and women shall directly be profiting from this project
50 fitness coaches, mainly women, shall be hired and trained into the practices of the association
15 gym clubs shall be set up in Kigali City along with an online platform that will allow for distance sessions