Obed Fitness Club empowers Ratanda women to embrace healthier lifestyles

More than 20 women have joined Obed Fitness Club, an initiative established in August this year to promote health, fitness and wellness among women in the Obed community.

The organisation recently hosted a Women’s Wellness Day at Obed Nkosi in Ratanda under the theme “Empower. Inspire. Thrive.”

Founder Charlee Hustle said the organisation was established to bring women together through fitness, encourage healthier lifestyles and create a supportive environment where they could focus on their wellbeing.

“The organisation was established in August this year specifically for women in Obed. We wanted to create a platform where women could come together, exercise and learn about the importance of taking care of their health. The response has been great since we started, and we currently have more than 20 women in the group. We are encouraged by the support and hope to grow further,” she said.

Hustle has also appealed to individuals, businesses, and potential sponsors for gym equipment, workout gear, and yoga mats.

Support towards securing a suitable venue would also help the group create a more conducive environment for its members.

“We are appealing to anyone who can assist us to come on board. We need gym equipment, workout gear, and yoga mats to run our activities more effectively. At the moment, we exercise in a parking lot, and space is a major challenge.

“With the right support, we could improve our sessions, accommodate our members better and encourage even more women in the community to become active,” she said.

Member Ntombifuthi Rose Moloi said joining the group has noticeably improved her life.

“Since I started with the group, I have seen amazing improvements. It feels good to exercise with other women because we encourage one another and share our experiences. Gathering together also helps relieve stress. Sometimes, as women, we carry many responsibilities and worries, but when we come together, we get a chance to relax, interact, and focus on ourselves. I believe this group is making a positive difference in our lives,” she said.

Makarabo Motaung highlighted the importance of physical activity, particularly for older people, saying exercise should be part of everyone’s efforts to maintain a healthy lifestyle.

“Exercising is very important, especially for elderly people, because we need to take care of our bodies as we grow older. When I went to the clinic, they told me my blood pressure had dropped, which encouraged me to keep exercising. I want to encourage other women, particularly older women, not to think that exercise is only for young people. We can all benefit from being active, and I would like to see more women joining us and taking their health seriously,” she said.

Duduzile Mbatha also stressed the importance of self-care, saying women should prioritise their health and adopt habits that support their physical and mental wellbeing.

“Taking care of yourself is very important. As women, we often put our families and other responsibilities first and forget that we also need to look after ourselves. We need to exercise, eat healthily and make time for our own wellbeing. Being part of this group reminds us that our health matters, too.

“However, we still face challenges, especially because we do not have a proper space to exercise and lack the equipment needed to improve our sessions,” she said.