Graveyard gym: Elderly women in Zimbabwe find new life in fitness
Against the odds, senior women in southern African country Zimbabwe beat illness through daily workouts near a cemetery
HARARE, Zimbabwe (MNTV) – In the shadow of a cemetery, a group of elderly women in Zimbabwe’s capital Harare are fighting to stay on the right side of life.
The Commandos Fitness Club, located beside the city’s Warren Hills Cemetery, is not just a gym—it’s a lifeline, claims the news portal Africa News.
Every morning, women over 60 defy age and adversity, engaging in rigorous workouts to upbeat music, proving that it’s never too late to reclaim one’s health.
For these senior fitness enthusiasts, exercise is more than just movement; it’s a daily battle against diseases like diabetes, hypertension, and heart problems.
“They are resting,” says a 65-year-old club member pointing toward the graves. “I just don’t want to join them yet. That means I have to do the hard work here.”
Chronic illnesses are a growing concern worldwide. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), non-communicable diseases (NCDs) account for 41 million deaths annually, making up 74% of global fatalities.
In sub-Saharan Africa, deaths from chronic conditions are expected to surpass those from infectious diseases like HIV and tuberculosis by 2030.
Experts attribute this to modern sedentary lifestyles, where screen time dominates movement.
Dr. Johannes Marisa, president of Zimbabwe’s Medical and Dental Private Practitioners Association, warns that strokes and heart disease are no longer confined to old age.
“Nowadays, even a 20-year-old can suffer a stroke,” he says. “People are glued to their TVs, phones, and laptops, leading to a rise in lifestyle diseases.”
But at Commandos Fitness Club, coach Joseph Nekati is determined to reverse that trend.
Inspired to save other women after his mother’s stroke in 2023, he launched the free club to help elderly women stay fit.
“It pained me so much to see my mother suffer,” he explains. “So, I decided to recruit elderly women to exercise and prevent the same fate.”
Under Nekati’s guidance, the women train daily, proving that resilience, determination and a strong sense of community can keep age-related illnesses at bay.
In a setting where death is literally next door, these women are choosing life—one workout at a time.
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