The healing powers of exercise for women refugees in Hong Kong

Virginie Goethals, organiser of walking group Hiking to Heal, says weekly trips for women in Hong Kong who are otherwise largely confined to home gives them something to look forward to, and a social network

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Virginie Goethals says hiking is great exercise, especially in Hong Kong where the trails are so close to the city.

Published: 2:01am, 8 Mar 2016Updated: 2:00am, 8 Mar 2016

Despite spending her childhood walking the mountains of Switzerland, Belgian Virginie Goethals only started hiking seriously and regularly five years ago when she moved to Beijing. Moving to Hong Kong in 2014 has only heightened her appetite for the trails.

Her passion has taken on a new purpose in the past six months: the former lawyer and sustainability consultant now leads hiking groups for refugees through the Free to Run charity.

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“Refugees have very limited rights in Hong Kong; they have protection but no future,” Goethals says. “Participating in a weekly hiking programme provides them with something to look forward to.”

Virginie Goethals on the rocks in Shek O.

Free to Run helps them overcome past trauma, regain confidence and empowerment, she adds. “For example, some refugee women in the hiking group had barely left their flats in Hong Kong before they started hiking; now they have a social network and are even running on a track once a week.”

The “Hiking to Heal” group takes 25 women out hiking three times a month. These are women who are isolated or recovering from trauma . Most have never set foot on a trail before. If a group wants extra training, she takes them over The Twins, two steep hills on stage one of the Wilson Trail between Stanley and Wong Nai Chung Gap every Tuesday. Free to Run also has mixed gender track training on Thursday evenings.

On her own, Goethals also runs and hikes most days at sunrise. “I love to go on the trails to see the sunrise and listen to the sounds of nature awakening. It helps me to keep my priorities straight in life and is an opportunity to recharge my batteries.”