Ertveldse takes on a tough challenge for the benefit of Ecuadorian quinoa growers.
EVERGEM / ERTVELDE - Els Verween (37) is one of three participants in the second edition of the Trias Trail. This heavy mountain tour is organized by the non-governmental organization (NGO) Trias. The three tractors hand over the proceeds of at least 12,000 euros to a cooperative of Ecuadorian quinoa growers.
Trias supports more than four million farmers in fifteen African, Asian and Latin American countries. The Trias Trial is a source of income for the NGO. After all, excluding 6,000 euros travel costs, the participants must get 4,000 euros together. “In a magazine from Unizo I read an announcement of the second Trias Trial. It is an initiative of entrepreneurs, for entrepreneurs. As a mountaineering enthusiast, I was immediately interested in that, ”says Els, who runs the Fixsus automated building management company with her husband Koen Verschuere.
“Mountains exert a great attraction on me. The higher, the better. Koen and I followed an Alpine course together and already made a mountain trip in Nepal, up to 5,000 meters. In Ecuador we go up to over 5,800 meters on the Cotopaxi volcano, which is above the snow line. ”
The preparation is no less. After a fitness test, Els had to train according to a fixed schedule. “That happened once a week on the ski hill of the Blaarmeersen in Ghent. Due to an injury to my heels I had to switch to cycling, aqua jogging and swimming. This morning I was already at 7.30 in the Ertvelde swimming pool. ”
Altitude tent
“Our climbing guide Bjorn Vandewege tested our physical condition with a 27 km night hike in the Ardennes," Els continues. "And we learned to walk with crampons in the ski centre of Terneuzen. To get used to the limited amount of oxygen, I sleep in a rented altitude tent. As a result, my husband has had to sleep on the floor next to my bed for the past four weeks."
She has already raised 3,230 euros through playful initiatives. “I hope to get the counter at 4,000 euros. All extras also go to the quinoa growers. Friday, January 20, I will be traveling to Ecuador with my two partners. We stay there for eleven days, visit the farmers and hand over our collected money. Then we do some preparatory trips. The journey to the top and back may only take nine hours, but is very heavy. However, to help people, I like to take on the physical challenge. "
Source: Het Nieuwsblad
