Modern life can be lonely, especially in urban environments where people live side by side but rarely connect. For many women, this isolation intensified during the COVID-19 pandemic, leaving them disconnected, anxious, and overwhelmed by family and work responsibilities. The What Women Need (WIN) project tackles this challenge by using sport as a bridge to social connection. Through group fitness sessions, swimming lessons, and outdoor activities, women are finding not only physical benefits but also emotional and social support.

“Sport creates natural opportunities for women to meet, talk, and build friendships,” says Rubes Levada, member of the WIN Technical Committee. “It’s more than exercise – it’s community building.”

Studies confirm the link between sport and social inclusion. According to Eurofound, women who regularly engage in group sports report higher levels of life satisfaction and lower levels of loneliness compared to those who do not.

In Novi Jelkovec, this transformation is visible. Women who once felt isolated now share experiences both inside and outside the sports hall. Events like local swimming competitions and community walks have created networks of trust and solidarity, involving not only women but also their families.

One mother described her experience:
“Before WIN, I rarely left my apartment except for work or errands. Now I have friends, we train together, and our children play together. Sport gave me a new life.”

By connecting women, WIN helps strengthen entire neighborhoods, making them safer, healthier, and more resilient.