From February 22 to March 1, Sandra Choisnet, an Aradian, participated in the 100% female trek, organized by Trek Elles marchent. A look back at his experience.
Sandra Choisnet, veterinary assistant secretary, trainer for future veterinary assistants and Hand-fit co-facilitator within the Hand sud 87 club, combined her passion for sport and her desire to help others, by registering for the trek. A look back at his experience.
What does this 100% female trek consist of?
This is a team trek in the Sahara, on the Algerian Atlas side, which is both sporting, supportive and humanitarian. 100 km are to be covered in four stages in sand, dunes and mountains, with a backpack for water and a map of the Moroccan terrain and a telescope to help you find your way. For safety, we were equipped with a beacon. We were 300 trekkers, or 75 teams. In the end, we all ended up in Ramlia, a small remote village in the Atlas. We planted olive trees, repaired three cob walls to consolidate the house of a nomadic family and built a roof for the common room. We also visited the school to talk to the children about oral hygiene and give them toothbrushes that we had brought. We created two murals and created a perpetual hopscotch in the courtyard with the remaining paint.
Why did you participate in this trek?
This trek was the opportunity for me to do something for others, while surpassing myself sportingly. I knew it would be difficult, but this project is really close to my heart. By participating in the Elles marchent Trek, you join the Les Défis du Cœur association which supports first aid training and works for the installation of defibrillators in white areas. Donations of feminine hygiene products and sunscreen are being made to the isolated local Moroccan population, in addition to helping the community. I should have left in 2023. The Trek association of a solidarity Aradian woman was created and I had more than twenty partners (public and private) to support me, but due to a lack of teammates, I was not able to participate.
For 2024, the partners were still up for it and I worked hard to put together a team, “The 4 Unknowns,” with three people I didn’t know, but who shared my beliefs.
What did this experience bring you?
We are taking a big hit, which allows us to reposition ourselves in terms of many things. We discover a new way of thinking and acting. We refocus on the essential and open up to others. Group cohesion, mutual aid, solidarity, kindness, sharing are natural. I’ve been back for over a month, but my head is still in the desert. Besides, I would like to move on very quickly to another sporting and humanitarian project. If NGOs are interested, I am ready to study their proposals.
More adventure. Find Sandra Choisnet’s journey on Facebook or Instagram.
More information on the Trek Elles marchent on Facebook or trekellesmarchent.com
