Rotary Fellowship for Fitness and Wellness intensify workouts

Members of the Rotary Fellowship for Fitness & Wellness are determined to continue advocating for the fitness and well-being of their members as they voluntarily serve communities and tackle pressing humanitarian challenges.

According to Maureen Kawombe, the secretary for the fellowship, they will continue coming together with like-minded people who believe that people who are fit and well are better leaders.

“If we have to serve communities as Rotarians, which we do quite a lot, we need to be fit and healthy,” Kawombe said after a workout session led by fitness expert Robert Ssebugwawo at Shell Club on Monday.

Rotarians work out with Coach Robert Ssebugwawo (2nd right) at the Shell Club, May 11, 2026. Photo by Michael Nsubuga

“What this means is we are serving our body first. We are making sure that we are in good condition, and therefore, we are encouraging Rotarians all over the world to exercise their bodies in order to keep away from the non-communicable diseases so they are healthy, they don't have to spend on medication in old age, they keep active, but also eat well, check their health every day, and see their doctor."

She noted that there is a need for aged people to take the fitness and wellness message seriously by exercising, eating well, doing health check-ups, and keeping mentally well in order to serve communities while they are fit and healthy. The Rotary Fellowship for Fitness & Wellness meets every Monday at 6pm at Hotel Africana and every Saturday at Sheraton Hotel, which doubles as a virtual session open to all members of the fellowship.

“We have members from all over the world that are members of this fellowship. And they are loving it. We have a step-up challenge where members take challenges every day and see how many steps they are taking every day. What this helps is they are able to motivate themselves to keep moving, because as you move, then you keep fitter, you keep healthy, and you keep very active. And we have seen that people who are very active are more productive than those who are docile.”

Ssebugwawo, the champion of the Rotary Fitness and Wellness Fellowship program who was appointed to the position 13 months ago, said that he realized that for all Rotarians to be impactful, productive, creative, and innovative human beings who impact humanity in different capacities, they must be fit and healthy.

“If you don't prioritize your health, or if you're not in good shape, you won't be able to go the extra mile for others."

“Our motto is about serving beyond yourself, which means putting in extra effort to help humanity. That's why the Rotary Fitness and Wellness Fellowship is running a campaign to remind all Rotarians that fitness isn't one-size-fits-all. We're working on offering various options that suit everyone's abilities, conditions, and circumstances. This way, when people get into fitness and wellness, they'll become happier and more productive Rotarians.”

Mark Asimwe, the membership director of the Fellowship of Fitness and Wellness, said whenever they go out for their quarterly fest, more members are recruited and pick interest thereafter.