CHITUNGWIZA, Zimbabwe — It's before sunrise on a Saturday and a small group has gathered at Socialite Bar in on the outskirts of Zimbabwe's capital. Instead of nursing hangovers, they sit with eyes closed and bodies in meditative poses on the bare floor.
It's an unlikely setting for a yoga class. In Zimbabwe, the practice is rare and mostly found in the wealthy suburbs. Yet it is quietly taking root here in a beer tavern in Chitungwiza, a low-income town 30 kilometers (18 miles) outside the capital, Harare.
The initiative is led by Actions Winya, a yoga instructor who saw how economic hardship and social pressures were damaging the mental health of people in his hometown.
''Yoga is expensive … but we also got humans in the ghetto. They need mental wellness,'' said Winya, who usually teaches in affluent areas, charging between $30 and $100 a month. That's an impossible cost for most, especially in a country where many survive through informal jobs.
Since 2023, Winya has been offering free weekend classes to some of those hardest hit by Zimbabwe's economic problems.
The sessions have become a source of relief for people navigating relentless challenges. Authorities acknowledge a growing societal crisis worsened by drug abuse, domestic violence and poverty, compounded by a shortage of public health services and therapists.
''I am a coach, so they bring the stuff that they face within families (to me). This is where we come in and say, ‘Guys, come and try yoga, it can help somehow,''' Winya said.
Yoga, an ancient Indian practice, has become a multibillion-dollar industry and a daily ritual for millions around the world. The United Nations over a decade ago designated June 21 as International Day of Yoga.