In the small coastal village of Ngor, just outside Dakar, a unique aquagym program is transforming the beach into a communal gym every Saturday morning. The Club des Dauphins de Ngor, an innovative initiative, offers a low-cost aquagym program designed to help people with physical disabilities improve their mobility and manage chronic pain. Participants, ranging from those with limited mobility to individuals recovering from strokes or traffic accidents, gather on the beach for a series of gentle exercises tailored to their needs.
The program begins on the sand, where trainers guide participants through exercises that help stabilize and strengthen their bodies. Some members, who arrive in wheelchairs or on crutches, are buried knee-deep in the sand to ease pain and improve mobility. Others participate while seated in chairs, moving at their own pace. The second part of the session takes place in the sea, where the water supports the body and eases strain on joints, allowing participants to practice stretches, balance, and strength exercises.
For many participants, the goal is simple: to move a little better than they did the week before. Ibrahima Souaré, who was paralyzed due to cervical osteoarthritis, credits the program with helping him regain mobility. “I had cervical osteoarthritis. It paralyzed me. I was in a wheelchair,” he says. “And after using a cervical collar, I went first to the club in April 2025, then I came here with crutches. Now I feel better.”
The program has drawn praise from health professionals for its low-impact exercises, which have been shown to help people with reduced mobility caused by chronic illnesses such as heart disease, stroke, and arthritis. As life expectancy rises across Africa, these diseases have become more common, often leaving older adults with pain and limited mobility. However, prevention, diagnosis, and rehabilitation services have not kept pace, leaving many older people with little access to geriatricians or other doctors.
The Club des Dauphins de Ngor offers a rare, low-cost option for relieving pain and improving mobility. With a fee of just 300 CFA francs ($0.50) per session, the program is accessible to many who might otherwise forego treatment due to cost. The city of Dakar has granted the program a $3,000 subsidy, which helps cover equipment and operational costs. As the program continues to grow, it hopes to help more people regain strength, mobility, and independence, using the sea and beach as a natural therapy space.
