When a model collapsed in his arms and later died of anorexia, it woke Israeli fashion photographer and agent Adi Barkan to the dangers of unhealthy body weights in the fashion industry, and set him on a mission to try to educate and transform the world of modeling.

His latest initiative, Simply U, is a program designed to create a whole new breed of models with healthy body weights. Competitions were held across Israel, and 20 women were picked to take part in the scheme. The women were taught the usual skills of modeling, but also learned about proper nutrition and healthy body weights.

Barkan’s goal: to create a new generation of models that will act as ambassadors for a healthier body size in the fashion industry.

With additional footage from Benny Tapiro.