PHOTO: gorunningtours.com
Gugulethu, South Africa, might not be on the tip of everyone’s tongue. But, this new gym is putting the town on the map. The community calls it “Asiphelimoya”.
“It started with just a few guys meeting up, working out, up until we recruited almost everybody that comes to the stadium,” Asiphelimoya chairman Mcebisi Mwezo said.
Now, the gym has over 100 active members.
Gugulethu has a high unemployment and poverty rate. Many people in the community just can’t afford a gym fee. Asiphelimoya seeks to offer a free, simple gym service that anyone can come and be a part of. There isn’t any fancy equipment. Members use cinderblocks and cartons of liquid as weights, and make use of the space to run, jump, and participate in fast-paced aerobic classes. The gym proves that you don’t need much to work out. A few every-day objects and your own muscle will do.
Asiphelimoya began as a simple group of guys, but it’s starting to form a thriving community of individuals. They’re all committed to making their lives better. Residents believe the gym is uplifting the entire town.
“This is another way of holy living. You go to church for your soul, but your body needs something. Your body needs a service.” – Sakhumzi Mati, gym instructor at Asiphelimoya.
