People across Saudi Arabia are being encouraged to log on and move together as part of a major national health awareness campaign aimed at boosting the health of the nation.
The Start Now campaign, launched by the Saudi Sports for All Federation (SFA), urges people of all ages, genders, backgrounds and abilities to use the SFA app to be more active and help the Kingdom become a beacon of health, fitness and wellbeing for the world.
Leaving no demographic behind, Start Now appeals to various people with different goals and needs. Whether you are a new mother or grandparent, serious athlete or absolute beginner, the campaign highlights how SFA initiatives can make a difference, with a series of videos showcasing relatable, everyday people as they strive for more active lifestyles.
The app makes it easier for users to achieve these lifestyles, with a range of functions designed to support people wherever they are on their fitness journey.
Available across Android and iOS platforms, it provides real-time information on health and wellness, as well as access to events and challenges across the Kingdom.
Users can join SFA challenges through the app, as well as create their own, with self-made goals including daily targets. To help track progress, the app can be synced with fitness devices including Apple Watch, Google Fit and Fitbit, making it easy to stay on top of goals, however ambitious they become.
A ranking and challenge leaderboard adds a layer of competition for those sharing the experience with friends, with each user allowed to join up to three challenges per month.
People can also create and manage Community Sports Groups (CSGs) and CSG events through the app, as well as search for other CSGs and their events. The SFA Rewards Program gives users the opportunity to win prizes by collecting points for performing various activities on the app, with 10 winners selected every month.
The app is part of the SFA’s wider digital transformation, which aims to catalyze the digitization of the Kingdom’s sports sector. In addition to the app, the federation’s online Healthy Living Portal contains a trove of material focused on making wellness accessible to all, addressing physical activity, nutrition, general well-being advice, and suggestions on how to live a healthy lifestyle through achievable action plans.
These efforts are part of the SFA’s wider mission to build a healthy and vibrant community across Saudi Arabia by inspiring all members of society to be physically active.
Supported by the Ministry of Sports and Saudi Arabian Olympic Committee, the federation is mandated by Vision 2030’s Quality of Life program to increase regular participation in physical activity to 40 percent by 2030.
In the past year, more than 350,000 people took part in virtual and in-person SFA programs, including landmark initiatives Move to Game and Step Together, as well as a women’s community football league, national cricket tournament, and numerous other events.
Start Now aims to increase participation numbers even further in 2021 and beyond, and with the help of the app, building healthy habits and regular active routines is easier than ever before.
