Although beer is freely available, going out to bars isn’t really done in Senegal. Sport is what brings young men together – and working out can be a form of socialising. If you want to be part of the “in crowd”, then head to one of Dakar’s beaches, preferably dressed in Western sports gear and start working on your muscles.

The beach of Fann is one of the many small inlets that connect Dakar to the Atlantic Ocean. Late in the afternoon, once the hottest part of the day is over, hundreds of youngsters gather there to exercise. But this fitness culture is about more than just muscles – it’s also an outlet for frustration and anxiety.

Joos van Egmond reports from Dakar for Newsline:

From books to beach
Fann beach is close to Dakar’s university, so many of those who come there are students. Mamadou Diallo realised he was spending all his time sitting still studying and was getting ill. So he tries to come to the beach everyday when his classes are finished, to jog and exercise. He agrees it can be hard – especially in mid-summer when it’s very hot - but it’s worth the effort. Not only does he feel better, but it’s a way to form social relationships with those of his fellow students who do the same.

Free the spirit
Papis Diarra is unemployed and homeless, he trains on the beach to “to free my spirit”, he says. The time he spends doing push-ups and jogging enables him to think calmly about what he needs to do to find a job and a home. And it works, says Papis, when he’s on the beach he feels the equal of all the other more successful boys. After all, when exercising everyone rich or poor is just as tired.