Students from the University of Manitoba want to help women who were exploited to return to normal life quicker with the help of fitness.
If your workout clothes have not been used for long and you are not going to return to the fitness club, you can donate them. Students in the University of Manitoba's kinesiology and recreation management program collect used gym clothes for women who were sexually exploited.
"Fitness is a really good way for these women to reconnect with their bodies or reclaim ownership of their body," said Kaileigh Tod, a fourth year kinesiology student. "So giving them appropriate clothes to work out in is really important."
The students hope to collect 45 sets of sportswear. In addition, they collect money to buy necessary new items, for example, socks and underwear.
"These women have been through, obviously, these traumatic experiences and this whole program tries to get them to realize that they are more than what has happened to them," Tod added.
Currently, 45 women are registered in the program. They train twice a week. The training program includes boxing and Zumba. In addition, they learn useful information about healthy eating and leading a healthy lifestyle. The program helps women not only physically, but also emotionally.
"It improves their confidence and the ways that they hold themselves," she said. "It's very empowering for these women."
Tod hopes to collect donations by the 11th of March so that women can start training as quickly as possible.
All additional information about donations can be found via kaileighbtod@gmail.com.
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