What if a workout could change someone’s life – not just your own?

This is the powerful question driving Move For More, a community movement harnessing the energy of fitness, human connection and collective action to raise funds and awareness for survivors of rape and gender-based abuse.

Founded by Emma Buys from Gordon’s Bay and three fellow participants, Move For More is using their preparation for Hyrox Cape Town in August as a springboard for something far greater than a physical challenge.

At the heart of the campaign is the Jes Foord Foundation, an organisation dedicated to supporting survivors of rape and gender-based violence – a cause the team believes deserves louder voices and stronger community support.

The Helderberg community will have its first opportunity to get involved at a wellness morning on Saturday 6 June, an inclusive event featuring four 30-minute fitness classes, refreshments, local collaborations and meaningful conversations around the foundation’s work.

Designed for all fitness levels, the focus is on showing up, not performance. “More than anything, we want people to leave feeling connected to something bigger than themselves,” Buys says. “This is not a once-off event, it is the beginning of many community-driven moments leading up to Hyrox and beyond.”

For Buys, Move For More is deeply personal. The campaign grew from both a gradual realisation that movement is a powerful tool for healing and connection, and from her own experience of being assaulted. “A large part of what inspired the campaign was my own experience, which deeply impacted the way I viewed safety, resilience and the importance of support systems,” she shares.

Rather than allowing that pain to define her, she chose to channel it into purpose. “Move For More became a way of turning pain into purpose – reminding people that movement can represent strength, resilience, community and hope, even after difficult experiences.”

The four-person team came together through their shared environment at Virgin Active The Sanctuary, where all four work and train. What makes the collaboration special is the balance of contrasting personalities united by a single purpose.

Ryan Doubell brings infectious energy and authenticity, Roland de Beer contributes determination and a steady presence, and Loredana di Iorio offers warmth that instantly puts people at ease.

Functional training

Their fitness backgrounds are equally complementary: Doubell focuses on functional training; De Beer on strength and conditioning; Di Iorio on coaching and community building; and Buys is pursuing a career in biokinetics. “It’s not one person’s vision, but a collective effort built on shared values,” Buys says. “This mix has allowed us to connect with a wider range of people and bring different perspectives into our training and campaign events.”

The choice of Hyrox, a global fitness race combining functional workout stations with endurance running, as the campaign’s platform was deliberate. “I wanted to take something rooted in movement and use it to create conversations and impact far beyond fitness,” explains Buys. “One of the biggest challenges has been balancing the physical preparation with the emotional responsibility of the campaign. We’re not only preparing for a race, we’re trying to build something meaningful to make a difference in people’s lives.”

Supports survivors

That difference centres on the Jes Foord Foundation, which Buys first encountered during her school years at St Mary’s DSG.

It supports survivors of rape and gender-based abuse while driving education, awareness and prevention – work Buys describes as tangible and community-focused. Funds raised will go directly towards survivor care initiatives, awareness programmes and essential resources. “GBV is not a distant issue in South Africa,” she says. “It impacts families, friendships, workplaces and communities daily, often far more closely than many realise. Silence creates space for these issues to continue.”

To those who see fitness and GBV awareness as separate worlds, Buys offers a compelling response. “Just think about a South African rugby game. where for 80 minutes the whole country becomes one big, emotionally invested family.”

Fitness communities are already built on the foundations needed to tackle social issues: support, accountability, resilience and human connection. “Movement creates spaces where conversations happen naturally, barriers come down and people feel part of something. That’s where the bridge begins.”

Those unable to attend events in person can still make a difference by donating via the campaign’s BackaBuddy page, sponsoring elements of the initiative, purchasing campaign merchandise or simply spreading the word.