The proverb “If you want to go fast, go alone; if you want to go far, go together” rings true for Lucy Muthama.
In 2020, as the world struggled with the realities of the Covid-19 pandemic, Lucy noticed that Safaricom’s employees with disabilities were not participating in fitness activities.
Lucy is an analyst the terminals department that deals with importation, pricing and distribution of Safaricom devices and device financing where all Lipa Mdogo Mdogo queries are escalated.
“I was in a swimming club for Safaricom, and most of the members were physically able to walk, but I really wanted to swim like them, so I reached out to our wellness coaches, and I started swimming. Then they asked me to reach out to other persons with disabilities,” she said.
Lucy contacted her colleagues who are differently abled and asked them to fill out a survey prepared by the wellness team on what they can do physically.
The result was Beyond Ability, a fitness program for people with disabilities that offers specialised training sessions, adaptive equipment, and personalised support.
“We started out with online workout classes during the Coronavirus period,” she recalls.
They also worked with a nurse who was there to ensure they didn’t get injured.
One of the coaches, John Mwaka, explains that they have different workout programs to suit everyone’s abilities.
“Sometimes you find that not everyone can do an intense workout when it comes to the lower body, or not everyone who can do an intense workout when it comes to the upper body, so we train them according to individual needs,” said John.
The Beyond Ability group has had a great impact on its members.
“I enjoy the exercises, especially during the morning hours, because they make me more relaxed and feel better before I start office work,” said Benjamin Mukiri, Chatbot Trainer, Zuri Squad.
In 2024, the Beyond Ability group was among the winners of the Safaricom CEO Awards, with Lucy picking up the award on behalf of the group.
Watch the video below to see how the Beyond Ability team is breaking barriers for people with disability.
