At Enabel, our passion for enabling change does not end when the workday ends. It’s coming to a year since the "after-work exercise" program was born at our Rwenzori office in Fort Portal. Emmanuel Muhumuza, the Intervention Officer, Skills Development Fund spearheaded the initiative which has brilliantly shaped the team’s fitness endeavors and supported building networks with other corporate teams to whom we have had the absolute pleasure of proving both fit and fierce.  

Every Thursday evening, the atmosphere is charged with colour and good vibes as the team gathers for a friendly football match. Wednesdays are reserved for aerobics and volleyball, which is Martin Okoed’s favorite. The Nursing School Pedagogy Field Officer is happy to have been reintroduced to the game after school where junior students were mostly restricted, making him lose interest in playing. “Glad I can now play,” says a cheery Okoed.

The goal isn't just to win the game but to relieve the strains of office work as Nicholas Basaija, a fitness and dance instructor who has been training the Enabel team for five months emphasizes. "Many people in offices deal with back and nerve issues due to sitting for long hours. Aerobics sessions help stretch the muscles, improve nerve function and act as a great stress reliever," he explains.

For Helen Mbabazi, Enterprise Development and Decent Jobs Officer, who recently joined Enabel, the games have helped her settle in. "I've been here three months, playing and cheering at these games has helped me get to know people faster. It’s easier to connect with colleagues on the court than behind computers or in meetings. I now feel more comfortable walking up to my teammates and calling them by name because that is what we do on court," she shares.

The impact of the after-work exercise stretches beyond the Enabel team. Bright Beyongyera, a student at Fins Medical University, was drawn to Enabel after hearing about our involvement in the community. He shared a touching story of how he got to come for the game that day, He had learnt of Enabel’s skilling program the previous night from a caretaker whose girl was a beneficiary, "I coincidentally read about the volleyball match with Enabel in a WhatsApp group and decided to see for myself what this group was all about," says Beyongyera.

Beyond bonding, Helen also highlights the mental health benefits of engaging in sports. "When you step away from the computer and play, you release stress. By the time I get home, I’m less stressed, and that benefits both my work and my family life. It’s important for more people to be involved in these kinds of activities to maintain a healthy work-life balance."

The team has come to know each other better and now work more closely. "Previously, we worked in silos, but now we are working as one Enabel," says Muhumuza. Seeing the success of these internal activities, he decided to extend the invitation to external partners. Every week or two, partners like Rotaract, students from Mountain of the Moon University, Phaneroo and other teams are invited for football or volleyball matches.

“During and after the games, we talk, collaborate, and build a bond beyond work. Sometimes, solutions come up outside of work, and in the future, we hope this can scale into interregional matches, perhaps a Busoga region vs. Albertine Rwenzori game," envisions Muhumuza, who hopes that Enabel can register for corporate league, for the competition, but to also boost the team’s mental capacity and to grow our network.