It may sound cliched or overly dramatic, but sometimes at Ulwazi we read about projects that make our hearts swell to the point of bursting – projects that are so full of hope that they make you want to cry! That was my response to watching the trailer for Township Yogi, a documentary filmed in KwaZulu-Natal that follows five township youths whose lives are transformed through the power of yoga. The townships of Inanda and KwaMashu are riddled with crime and unemployment, and many of the residents are suffering from HIV and Aids. Research has shown that the practice of yoga may help to boost immune system activity, reduce stress, improve muscle tone and slow the progression of the disease. Township Yogi documents the establishment of a grassroots yoga studio in a place where the majority of people have never heard of ‘yoga’, and looks at how yoga can be used to transform the lives of HIV sufferers and those living in the poor township areas.
Click here to watch the trailer for this incredible documentary, and here to read more on the project itself – what am amazing thing these yoga teachers are doing for the community!
Photograph courtesy of www.theguardian.com.