As shared with you, country by country
Previous episodes: on the road to Laos, and Cambodia
More than the magnificent landscapes or tourist spots, it is the people and projects I meet when travelling that appeal to me. That often pushes me to see things from a new perspective and inspires me. Here, I share with you these inspiring moments I have met along the way, little by little.
I hope it inspires you just as much, let's breathe and go!
For this third edition, I propose a new format:"Come meet with me...". When a beautiful person tells me about her adventures, well I want to tell you about them too.
Come meet me, Charlotte - when responsible travel rhymes with daring!
On the way to Facebook group We are Backpackeuses, I'm "virtually meeting" Charlotte for the first time. It's her post - a message about this group of backpackers exchanging tips and advice - that catches my attention. She has been living in Nepal for some time now and offers her help to those who would come to Nepal on a trip to direct them if they have any questions. I just arrived in Nepal, it makes me want to know more. After a research I see that we have a friend in common, she worked in social entrepreneurship and seems to have a super interesting project in progress... anyway I go for it! And rightly so, because Charlotte agrees to meet me immediately. Moreover, I will discover a personality even richer than I expected!
I meet her at her home in Patan - a twin town in Kathmandu, just south of her. She makes me feel comfortable right now. This time of exchange will quickly turn into a lively discussion lasting more than 4 hours, with the added bonus of a visit to ethical shops in Patan's neighborhood and a masala tea class!
An attraction for travel from childhood and the evidence of solidarity commitment
To understand how Charlotte got here, we go back a long way. Until he's exactly 7 years old! I asked my parents not to give me presents for Christmas any more, but to put money aside for my future trips,"she says. The adventures she has put on hold during her studies and her first job - in the field of the social and solidarity economy - have always been part of her commitment. After the first few years of her career, Charlotte felt more and more in need of exploring new horizons, always with a responsible dimension.
An initiatory journey to discover and act on society
She created L' épicurieuse: a project combining travel and responsible engagement. Charlotte says:"The objective was really that through this committed journey, I could reveal, measure and promote the potential of an individual's action on society. This initiative took him to Mongolia, India and Nepal. It is in the latter country that it carries out a major project.
Charlotte conducts an immersion and field investigation phase lasting several months to find out about the situation and needs in the Kathmandu region, meeting local actors, visiting villages and exchanging with the population. It is difficult to know what is really missing, where you can have a lasting impact only behind your computer and from the outside. Coming there, spending time, talking to people is essential,"she tells me. It identifies a village affected by the 2015 earthquake that still lacks basic resources (current water, electricity). These could lead to a better development of the living conditions of its inhabitants, and it mobilizes them.
After quantifying the necessary funds - 5,000 euros, Phase 2 of the plan is launched: raising this amount by personal achievement. It is launching a fundraising campaign around a very daring challenge: the ascent of 5 summits above 5,000 meters (this is exactly the right place Nepal for that, cuckoo the Himalayan chain! Himalaya literally meaning "home of the snows". On the one hand it succeeds in this sporting and mental challenge, but it also raises the necessary funds. Hats off to you!
