Exercises classes in Burundi - 24th June 2022

This is an exercise class in Burundi, in Africa. Life isn't easy here. Burundi became a country in 1962. But wars between its Hutu and Tutsi peoples make life difficult.

Burundi's a poor country. There aren't enough doctors or hospitals. And poor people can't get help from the government. But exercise clubs find ways to help their members.

Exercise clubs help people to keep fit. They're very popular. And they bring people together. Hussein Sinangwa started this club.

Hussein Sinangwa: "Mass sport is important on the whole, because people from all walks of life converge, across political parties, ethnicities and religions."

12 million people live in Burundi. There are different groups, like the Hutu and Tutsi people. At the clubs, these different groups mix together.

They're cheap too. One class costs about 10 US cents.

Sheilla likes coming here.

Sheilla: "Anytime you want you can come, and it's very cheap. At the gym there it's very expensive - not, not anyone can afford to go there. It's just like that. That's why I prefer to come here."

You can give the coaches extra money too. They use this to help club members. Anyone could be sick or have problems.

Hussein Sinangwa: "We help each other with the money that we collect as contributions. When there's a sick person in our organisation - a member of the club - we assist him in case of illness, in case of death or other issues."

Here, in the exercise class, it's like a family. No one feels alone. Members help each other inside the club and outside too.