Fatima ran for her life when the war began.

‘I was holding my baby and had to run away from the aeroplanes and the bombs.’

Today, Fatima no longer runs for her life.

Instead, she’s bouncing exercise balls, doing step-ups and enjoying line dancing at a suburban Adelaide recreation centre.

Fatima is among women from refugee backgrounds gaining ‘strength for life’ through fitness, friendship and fun.

Every Monday, this small group of women from Syria and Iraq step-up, jump, stretch, dance and laugh together at the Parafield Gardens Recreation Centre.

These resilient, courageous women are also discovering a new sense of belonging in the community through the Australian Refugee Association Engage program.

‘We look forward to every Monday when we can be together,’ Fatima says.

Fitness instructor Linda says of the group of women: ‘They are really awesome and fast learners. This is about building strength and muscle mass. It’s making a difference, not only physically but mentally.’

Dhefaf agrees Strength for Life is making a difference. She was only 12 when she fled war-torn Iraq. ‘The war affected me mentally. Sometimes we remember all the trouble.’

Now the women say the fitness and friendship group ‘has changed the way we see the world.’

Before the program, many of the women felt isolated and shut off from others in South Australia through language, cultural and social barriers.

Dhefaf smiles. ‘Before, we didn’t do any exercise at home. Okay, maybe some walking and housework.’

Says Equbal. ‘We didn’t realise about being fit. We decided to make a change.’

Gihan agrees. ‘The lifestyle here in Australia is so different. I didn’t have any friends. And I had a car accident. This is helping me heal.’

Australian Refugee Association case worker and coordinator for the Engage program, Marwah says: ‘Sometimes the women feel like they don’t belong. Everyone supports each other here.

‘This is a step toward belonging. Here, they feel they are safe and they belong. They are all part of a community.’

Marwah acknowledges the Parafield Gardens Recreation Centre successfully addressed the challenge of finding a gym, trainer and location that met the social and culturally appropriate needs of the women.

‘We needed a private training room which men could not enter during training, a woman trainer, and a location which was close enough for all the women to access.

‘We also needed a woman trainer trained to deliver the Strength for Life program.’

As the women build their strength and friendships, trust and engagement is also growing with the practical support offered by the Australian Refugee Association.

‘The women are now more actively involved in other ARA programs such as learning English, parenting, health and other information sessions,’ Marwah says.

If you want to support courageous women from refugee backgrounds to belong and settle in South Australia, please visit the Australian Refugee Association at https://www.australianrefugee.org.

The Australian Refugee Association is supported by a Positive Ageing Fellowship Grant from Office for Ageing Well, SA Health to deliver the Engage program. Click hereto find out more about Office for Ageing Well’s Community Grants.

Strength for Life is provided by COTA SA and supported by Wellbeing SA. To find out more, go to Strength for Life * COTA SA.