00:00Does boxing help against femicide?
00:04We asked Zarika Fatuma, Kenya's Iron Fist,
00:08how and why she brings boxing to young women from disadvantaged communities.
00:13Growing up in the ghetto
00:17is what has made me to be a champion and get the belts that I have for now.
00:22It is also what has made me to start Zarika Fitness Center
00:26to train ladies on how to defend themselves
00:29so that they don't go through a hard time that many women are experiencing now.
00:34According to alarming statistics,
00:36between 2016 and 2024,
00:39more than 500 women were victims of femicide in Nairobi alone.
00:44Reason enough for Zarika Fatuma to do something about it.
00:48And for the boxer with a proven track record,
00:51there was no question about what she wanted to do
00:54about this life-threatening violence against women.
00:57I witnessed men harassing women and I didn't like it.
01:03When you look currently in Kenya,
01:05ladies are being targeted.
01:07They are being murdered.
01:09I think this has also motivated me to train ladies
01:12so that they learn how to defend themselves.
01:16But in which ways does boxing exactly help navigate life's challenges?
01:20I really like boxing.
01:22It can help you a lot because I can defend myself,
01:26for example, if someone wants to rape me.
01:29I thank Zarika because since she came to us,
01:33we have learned a lot and she wants to train us to become a champion.
01:37I think it is a great opportunity for us to learn how to defend ourselves.
01:42And she wants to train us to become a champion like her.
01:50Nicknamed the Iron Fist because of her quick wit,
01:53the Nairobian was raised by her single mother.
01:57I'm the current champion for WBF.
01:59I, as Fatuma Zarika,
02:01I have been a World Boxing Council champion two times.
02:05I have 50 fights, 17 knockouts.
02:08I'm proud to be a champion.
02:13Fatuma!
02:15But what made her decide to pursue a career in a sport
02:19traditionally dominated by men?
02:21People used to ask me,
02:24why have you joined boxing, a sport for men?
02:27It is a rough game.
02:29For me, I believe there is no particular job for a man or a woman.
02:35When I joined boxing, I used to watch Laila Ali,
02:39the female boxer and daughter of Muhammad Ali.
02:42She inspired me a lot to try boxing.
02:52Balancing my life as a parent and as a boxer are two different things,
02:57but I usually create time to be with my family.
03:09Zarika prepares for her boxing matches in a sponsored gym
03:13and also her own gym.
03:15And this is where she trains girls and women in self-defense courses.
03:19What's so special about it?
03:21Are you ready for training?
03:24It's true, I empower ladies through boxing.
03:27It's important for them to know how to defend themselves
03:31when danger arises.
03:33When I'm training them,
03:36I show them how to throw a jab
03:38that can allow them to escape in case of danger.
03:44By learning boxing,
03:46it's not a must to use a boxing ring.
03:49Boxing can help you anywhere.
03:51In a session where I have beginners,
03:54I train them techniques such as throwing punches,
03:57moving, waving, among others.
03:59It's not just about boxing,
04:01but the impact Zarika's training can have.
04:04The lady we just visited before,
04:06when she came to speak to me back then,
04:15I felt she has a lot of potential
04:17to be great and become a champion in the boxing industry.
04:21We also have Tabi here in my gym.
04:24She is really now throwing some heavy punches.
04:27She will be a good boxer soon.
04:29I train with Zarika.
04:32She has exposed me to a field
04:34that I didn't know really existed.
04:36Boxing can contribute on gender equality
04:40and reducing gender-based violence
04:42because boxing gives you the skills.
04:45And you don't have to say that
04:47you can just abuse me because I'm a girl
04:49and I don't know how to fight.
04:51No, the field is open.
04:53Through Zarika, the field is open for everyone.
04:55In sport, Zarika hasn't ended every match with a knockout,
04:59but when it comes to violence against women in particular,
05:02the iron fist speaks her mind.
05:05Knock out the femicide.
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