The fight of little Billie and her parents, Marika and Vincent, deeply moved the local community. From the benches of Hossegor primary school through the support evenings of several associations, until the tragic end of Billie, killed by a brain tumor in August 2021, the Gicquel family has left its mark on those who have loved them. rubbed shoulders with his courage and dignity.
Today, Marika, who by her own admission continues to recover, proves once again that she is driven by extraordinary resilience. She has just won several regional and national awards for her reconversion and this new start, after painful years.
“Don’t sink”
“The death of my daughter was the trigger, after so many years of fighting the disease. I made my decision before his death because I saw that it was the end. I was into shiatsu treatment before, and I knew that I would no longer have the strength to take care of others. »
Marika therefore throws herself body and soul into her reconversion. “It was essential to keep myself busy, to get started right away so as not to sink,” she recalls.
In one year, she obtained a first diploma in CAP upholstery from the CFA of Mont-de-Marsan. But she does not yet consider herself ready, not yet legitimate in the profession, so she continues her momentum with a saddlery CAP, “to be able to work with leather and expand [ses] skills, being able to make car, motorcycle and boat seats.” And she does it well, the proof is that she is valedictorian of her two promotions.
She therefore opened her workshop in Soustons three months after this second diploma, the Atelier Croupion, “because I only do seats, and then the rump speaks to the people of Landes,” she says with a smile. Faced with the banks’ refusals to help her in her project, two associations will support and finance her, Tec Ge Coop and ADIE (Association for the Right to Economic Initiative). “They were a great help, they are really valuable local players for financing and advice. »
Unwavering support
After a year of existence, Atelier Croupion, which she shares with a furniture seamstress, has a well-stocked order book. “I am very happy and I am overflowing with work. I first had orders from friends, then from individuals and now from professionals like architects, fitters, cabinetmakers and even a Parisian designer! »
Awarded by the ADIE, the CCI des Landes and the CMA de Nouvelle-Aquitaine, at 47 years old, Marika is enjoying her successful career change, this fulfillment in manual work that she has always loved. “After having taken care of people with my hands, after having overcome the trials of life, I now give a second life to the objects that people cherish and, for the most part, dedicated to their rumps,” she concludes with a humor that it has never gone away over the years.
But Marika would like to emphasize, by way of conclusion, a point that is particularly close to her heart: the unwavering and precious support of her husband, which allowed her to be where she is today, in this workshop. which seems to be tailor-made for her.
Atelier Croupion, 73, route de l’Aérodrome in Soustons. Information: www.atelier-croupion.com, 06 80 99 95 92, [email protected]. Reception by appointment Monday from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m., Tuesday to Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Saturday from 8 a.m. to noon.
