FLO invited to a congress in France

Vandy’s Tour de France

Invited by our partner and donor CCFD Terre-Solidaire, Vandy had the great opportunity to visit France, to discover the local way of life, to try all sorts of delicious food, but also to present FLO’s work during different events held locally and to be introduced to different projects supported by CCFD.

Every year, CCFD-Terre Solidaire hosts around thirty partners from the associations that they support on the field. Vandy was invited to stay for two weeks in Poitou-Charentes, in Rochefort, in Surgères, then in Chauvigny, in the company of her interpreter, to discover local activities linked to her work, concerning land issues, the preservation of biodiversity and climate justice.

But first, she made a quick stop in Brussels for a few days, to meet Camille, the new Volunteer that will join FLO in April! and to visit the local offices of WWF Belgium and DGD, our valued partners.

The next step in Paris is to get to know CCFD team, and visit the Eiffel tower of course!

Most of the time was spent in Poitou-Charente region, with a first week in Rochefort, where the program involved discovering wild edible seaside plants, visiting the Oléron Island, visiting a local vegetables farm, a preserves workshop (to avoid food waste and allow the use of seasonal products out of season), the discovery of a fish-lock next to a big dam and of course a stop by the ocean and it’s cold waves!

During her stay in Rochefort, Vandy participated in a few workshops (including one high school and one church event), where she presented FLO’s work and could answer the questions of very curious participants.

During the following week in Chauvigny, the program involved a goat farm visit with its goat cheese workshop, an oyster farm visit, more dinners and a few presentations.

“Traveling outside of Asia for the first time was a great experience for me. Although not everything I learned could be directly applied to FLO, it was an invaluable opportunity for personal growth. I enjoyed sharing what FLO is doing in Cambodia, especially the challenges we face in protecting natural resources and biodiversity. Additionally, I learned about how CCFD operates, including their fundraising efforts and solidarity work among volunteers.”

Says Vandy after her trip.