“I feel happy, I run away from my immigration problems”
Sercan, refugee friend
Every Friday afternoon, refugee friends come together in the local park to take part in outdoor gym sessions.
My name is Omer, and I am the Digital Communications and Marketing Volunteer at JRS UK. Ahead of the Olympics starting at the end of this week – a sporting event we’re very excited about at JRS – I wanted to take this opportunity to share with you a little about refugee friends’ experiences of the gym sessions at JRS UK.
“Having membership in any gym requires an ID and it also cost a lot of money. These are two things I can’t afford”
Quine, refugee friend
For many people, paying £20 or £30 per month gets you access to a gym, where you can use the equipment, have a safe space to exercise, and get guidance on form and technique. This is great – it’s widely known that exercise brings great benefits for your mental and physical health.
By contrast, most people seeking sanctuary, like our refugee friends, are unable to afford membership in any gym. There’s also the additional problem of the paperwork sometimes needed for registering. Not having the opportunity to exercise can be a major challenge, especially when people remain in this situation for several years, and can lead to significant long-term health problems.
Anuj Shah, professor of behavioral sciences at the University of Chicago, says, “Living with scarcity changes the psychology of individuals, the way they think, and the way they make decisions.”
This means that an individual’s exposure to pressure and the requirements of long-term asylum procedures and complex makes a person neglect or forget his physical and psychological health, ending up with permanent health problems.
To respond to this need, JRS UK started doing weekly sports classes in July 2023, led by Michael, a specialised trainer.
At every gym session we welcome 12 people. The class lasts approximately one hour every week, with Michael explaining the exercises, and working with each individual at their own level. It is a new experience for many of our refugee friends who have never received this care before.
The main idea of the gym sessions is to help refugee friends to integrate into society and to achieve their fitness goals – whether it is building muscle, losing weight, or staying fit. With these exercises, they can get rid of stress and anxiety in their daily lives.
Last week, I spoke to three refugee friends to ask them about their experiences of the gym sessions, the change in their daily lives, and why exercise is important to them.
How long have you been attending the gym sessions? Why do you come each week?
Quine: [I’ve been going to the gym sessions] just about three months. I needed to reduce my belly fat. I don’t know what to do to burn down my belly fat. So I was just saying [after I saw my performance improve] to one of the ladies here why you don’t register to the gym session.
Sercan: Since I started, I have absent just three times. When I come feel happy, strong and I forget my problems. And is it good for body health and I run away from my immigration problems.
Ntela: I think three months for now. and I come to the gym session because I need to be fit and it’s good for my health as well. I need to address my weight. The coach has helped me a lot to do some exercise to lose my weight and to be fit and healthy.
Have they helped you in your daily life?
Quine: After joining the exercise group I feel light. Seriously I feel so much lighter. I think a lot of benefit for health and fitness. Some people say eat a lot of vegetables and fruits. I know it’s a lot of vegetables and fruit is good it helps but also I need the exercise for my general well-being.
Sercan: Yes, the gym sessions have helped me. Firstly, I forget my problems. Secondly, my sleeping is better now. When I have nothing to do and I sit for the whole day, I can’t sleep at night.
Ntela: Now, I can do exercise when I go home. I feel good, because I can do some practice at home I don’t need to use gym equipment. I feel tired. Then, I take a shower and then relax. This how my day ends in a wonderful way.
Quine: I now have confidence doing exercise. I will say now I feel I have a little more strength to do things. Before I don’t have any strength to do it. Something I used to do in a minute, now I can do it in a second. Another thing that I would tell you is today I can a walk a bit faster than I used to walk before.
Sercan: I think I’m able to exercise anywhere. Now I feel confidence to do exercise. Sometimes I do it around my house and I do the running in the park.
Why is health important to you?
Quine: Nobody wants to die prematurely. Like I said, fitness it helps a lot to reduce all deadly illnesses such as obesity, high blood pressure, diabetes and cancer. personally, I’m diabetic Type 2.
Sercan: Exercise is medicine to my brain and body. When I do exercise, I want to do something else. For example, I want to read a book. It is opening my body and mind to accept anything good to do.
Ntela: My health is important for me because I need to take care about myself. If I don’t think about myself maybe I will need someone to take care of me from now.
What was the coach’s role in developing your athletic performance?
Sercan: I am making significant progress. Before I did the exercises wrong because I had never been with a coach. I used to do it outside with my friend, but I didn’t know what is wrong and what is right. That’s how I hurt my shoulder. But now the coach has showed me how I can do it in right way. That’s why now is better.
Quine: We have to be strong. If you are taking 30 seconds to do some exercises try to reduce two seconds next week. Before I knew the exercises, it used to take me two or three minute to do.
One thing I would like to say is can the gym session on Friday’s continue please? Honestly, because to have membership costs a lot of money, which I don’t have. And there’s someone like me who doesn’t have any ID. To have any membership you need to have an ID. Which I don’t have.
Ntela: I think the gym sessions are good because I need to do exercise regularly. Before I didn’t know about it, I just followed some people in YouTube. The coach has found some exercises given me advice on how to do them. I’m very happy.
“Exercise is medicine to my brain and body”
Sercan, refugee friend
*Names have been changed to protect anonymity.
