By Mariia Tumakova | operations officer
The first half of 2026 marked an important period of growth for Les Gazelles de Bruxelles. Between January and July, we organised 170 sports sessions, bringing together more than 1,400 participants from diverse backgrounds across Brussels.
Our weekly programme included G-athletics for people with disabilities, running groups for asylum seekers and people experiencing homelessness, women-only Afro-Latino dance classes, fitness sessions in Fedasil reception centres, and our open to everyone Friday jogging group at Tour & Taxis. These activities encourage healthy lifestyles while creating opportunities for social interaction, confidence building and community participation.
In addition to sport, we continued to organise our weekly Social Sewing Atelier and Conversation Table, where participants learn sewing techniques, practise Dutch in an informal environment and connect with others. These activities strengthen practical skills, language development and social integration.
Throughout the reporting period, we also participated in several community events. Children discovered sport through activities organised during the Brussels Athletics Championships (Kampioenschap van Brussel) and Stadskriebels, allowing many families to experience accessible sport in a welcoming environment.
During Volunteer Week (Week van de Vrijwilliger), we recognised the commitment of our volunteers gifts, created through our Upcycling Champions project. It combined appreciation for our volunteers with our commitment to sustainability by giving new life to discarded sports materials.
Our running community continued to grow and proudly participated in the 20 km door het Zoniënwoud, Leuven Marathon, Zoniënmars – Zoniënklanken, 15 km of Woluwe, 20 km of Brussels, and the 12 km of Anderlecht. At the 20 km of Brussels, we fielded largest team. Thanks to the solidarity of our runners, participation fees were raised for runners from our target groups, making the event accessible to people who would otherwise not have been able to take part.
To address the lack of accessible recreative activities in Kuregem, we launched Playcation, a summer initiative offering children and their families a safe place to enjoy sports and creative activities close to home. The programme is delivered by our sports animators and volunteers and creates a positive meeting place within the neighbourhood.
Our circular economy initiative also continued to develop. Sportswitch, our second-hand sports shop, expanded its opening hours to four days per week and provided 131 people with free sports clothing, helping remove financial barriers to participation in sport while promoting the reuse of quality sports equipment.
These activities reflect our integrated approach: combining sport, social inclusion, volunteering and circular economy initiatives to create opportunities for people who face barriers to participation and to strengthen community life across Brussels.
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