We all know how beneficial jiu-jitsu can be, but unfortunately, it’s not always cheap. Forget expensive tournament entry fees and seminars — the price of an academy membership and a gi alone are often enough to discourage people from signing up to train. And for people who are already struggling financially, it can make it impossible.
When you consider the numerous ways training jiu-jitsu benefits women in particular, it’s even more of a shame that so many of them don’t have the financial resources to train. But thanks to Girls in Gis and clothing company E Nois, more girls and women are going to have the opportunity to change their lives through this sport. E Nois is participating in a “buy one give one” program that will contribute brand new kimonos to the Girls in Gis scholarship program. All you have to do to help is to buy a gi for yourself.
The idea for the partnership came about when founder and co-owner David Melik discovered that Girls in Gis had a scholarship program after he reached out to them for some publicity for their last “buy one give one” promotion. “We’re always looking for organizations that make BJJ accessible to more people,” he said. Girls in Gis fit the bill perfectly; their “singular focus” on a group of people that Melik accurately describes as being “fifty percent of the population, but a tiny fraction of jiu-jitsu practitioners” made them ideal to team up with when it came to giving back to the jiu-jitsu community.
Melik may run a successful business, but if you think he’s motivated solely by financial gain, you’re way off the mark. His job as an immigration attorney has allowed him to meet people from all walks of life, and his open mind and heart have carried over into how he approaches his work with E Nois as well. “Our mission has always been to been unity, togetherness, and inclusivity through BJJ,” he said. “Whether it be a difference of race, religion, sexuality or gender, everyone should feel welcome to be part of the Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu community — that is our ultimate company mission.
Here’s how the program works: from now until February 17, if you purchase a Next Generation Gi #3 from E Nois, the company will donate another Next Generation Gi #3 to the Girls in Gis scholarship program. This means that one of the people who filled out the application on the scholarship page will receive a brand-new gi for free to help their BJJ journey get off to a great start. And make no mistake — both you and the other gi recipient will be getting a product you’re happy with. “We are obsessed with quality and fit. We have personally visited our manufacturers and never stop trying to improve our products. I think folks will find our gi to be one of if not the best gi they’ve ever used. I may be a bit biased, but we do believe in our product 100 percent,” said Melik.
If you’re in the market for a new gi and also have that itch to make the world a better place, consider helping strengthen the female BJJ community by either getting one of these gis or by donating to the Girls in Gis scholarship fund. Who knows? You might just be helping a future world champion take her first steps into the sport that will change her life.
Author’s note: Neither I nor the Jiu-Jitsu Times received any kind of payment or compensation for this post from E Nois or Girls in Gis. I just think it’s an awesome cause that deserves to be shared.
I’m usually a very charitable person, but I cannot condone sexism. Had this been a ‘buy a gi, help a disadvantaged PERSON’ situation, I’m all in. Helping one gender specifically, though? No. I believe firmly in gender equality. This is the type of damsel-in-distress bullshit that sets women back.