Group to bring yoga to unfortunate youths

 By HUXLEY LOVA

Yoga Unites PNG is bringing the ancient Indian exercise and meditation practice of yoga to the disadvantaged youths of the National Capital District. 

Fazilah Bazari, a qualified yoga instructor and life coach established the non-governmental organisation in 2012 when invited by Mahesh Patel, chairman of City Pharmacy Limited Group to participate in its corporate social responsibility programme.

Reaching the disadvantaged youth through yoga is a unique strategy mainly because of its holistic approach to personal development. 

“Yoga is a science of mind, body and heart. When the mind and body are connected and united, people become balanced and whole,” Bazari said.

“Once this harmonised state is achieved, we put our heart and focus into everything we do.”

While Yoga Unites PNG was being funded under the CSR programme, T-shirts and caps were provided as they began to roll out their programme of using yoga as a community development tool. 

At certain selected settlement communities around Port Moresby, Yoga Unites PNG introduces their programme not only using yoga but also acrobatics and art to get the youth in the area interested.

Yoga sessions are held once a week, along with other community projects. 

This approach proved successful as children and youths showed interest in this new thing called yoga.

It is through the Yoga Unites programme that yoga was introduced to the wider community in Port Moresby. The goal of Yoga Unites is to have the youth of PNG empowered and transformed.

“One powerful thing about yoga is that you realise that the power to change is already within you,” Bazari said.