Since September 3, Fatoumata Gary has been traveling across France on foot to fight against school bullying. In particular, she made several stops at schools, such as in Burgundy, to raise awareness among young people about this cause.
He has 6,771 kilometers left to walk. On September 3, Fatoumata Gary, a 36-year-old sports presenter, left her town of Mulhouse for one of the biggest challenges of her life: walking around France for nine months.
Fatoumata Gary (right) can count on the kindness of the people she meets to be able to rest and sleep for free. • © Fatoumata Gary
Until June, she will walk to raise awareness about the fight against school bullying. During her journey, she stops at schools to raise awareness among young people.
“It can’t stop with one child.”
While she is currently in Allier (Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes), she tells us why this cause is close to her heart. “When I worked in this environment during my first year as a facilitator, I witnessed a situation of harassment. I spoke about it and I tried to mobilize everyone but it was difficult when you just arrived. I almost quit. Finally, at the end of the year everything was settled. The parents then came to thank me, and I told myself that it couldn’t stop at one child.”
Fatoumata Gary walks around 25 to 35 kilometers per day. • © Fatoumata Gary
This is how she created an association in December 2022 to fight against school bullying, the athletes of hope. “Thanks to this association, we raise awareness through sport. And then we had this project to tour the country”she explains.
Since September 3, an assistance vehicle driven by her partner has been following her. Responsible for transporting all the logistics, food, clothing, he also has the mission of finding accommodation in Fatoumata for the night. But she can count on the generosity of the residents with whom she stays. “I slept in campsites, hotels and lodges. I almost never paid, I have always been able to count on the kindness of those who welcome me.”
Fatoumata walks between 25 and 35 kilometers per day. Having left Mulhouse to go down to the Doubs, she arrived in Côte-d’Or at the start of the week. But his time in the department was marred by some complications.
“In Dijon, I felt a lot of muscle fatigue. I couldn’t find accommodation, we called the town hall who told us to contact 115 because we could be considered homeless. I didn’t feel reception in this city, and it really hurt me. Finally, I managed to find a hotel”she says.
Fatoumata Gary went to the Beaumarchais school in Dijon to talk to students about school bullying. • © Fatoumata Gary
Today, she left the region to go to Vichy. It will descend in the South, passing through Lyon and Saint-Etienne, before heading west and going up towards Brittany.
After a stint in Nord-Pas-de-Calais, she will go to Île-de-France for a final effort to Mulhouse. A return to her hometown where she will find her two children, surely proud of the challenge taken up by their mother.
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