Leo Vercauteren will soon embark on a 4,600-kilometre journey during which he will pass through every single city and town in the country. His goal: to support the fight against poverty.
Over the next seven months, the 70-year-old man who lives on the Belgian coast will walk through Belgium's 581 cities and municipalities to engage in the fight against poverty, a challenge that has been on the cards for three years. The goal is not futile, as almost one in five (18.7%) Belgians are at risk of poverty or social exclusion.
Several Belgian poverty networks are working to promote the rights of people in vulnerable positions and to eradicate poverty. Vercauteren aims to support these organisations with his walk by "raising awareness of poverty in a prosperous country like Belgium".
"I have been asking myself whether a rich country, a democracy, can tolerate poverty. My answer to that is no. I therefore have a lot of respect for people and organisations that are working to fight poverty," he said.
Specifically, he calls on people, companies and organisations who admire him walking across Belgium to support the Network against Poverty (Netwerk tegen Armoede) and its 61 local associations in Flanders and Brussels and the Réseau Wallon de Lutte contre la Pauvreté.
The map showing his long trek. Credit: Leo Vercauteren/ Netwerk Tegen Armoede
Vercauteren was scheduled to depart on his long journey on Monday 5 February in Ostend, but has had to postpone his stunt for two weeks due to a back injury. Within two weeks, he would start in Ypres to catch up with the cities and towns he missed.
He was scheduled to visit the Belgian municipalities during weeks 17 and 20 of his walk, which taking into account the two-week delay will be towards the start and end of May. He will first visit Jette, Ganshoren, Berchem-Sainte-Agathe, Koekelberg, Molenbeek-Saint Jean and Anderlecht.
Then, two weeks later he will arrive in Saint-Gilles, Ixelles, Brussels, Saint-Josse-Ten-Node, Schaerbeek and Evere before returning to the region one week later to pass through Woluwe-Saint-Lambert and Woluwe-Saint-Pierre, Etterbeek, Auderghem and Watermael-Boisfort.
Vercauteren previously walked to Turkey for charity. "For me, the trek is a challenge, heading for adventure. I am curious about unexpected events and want to experience local customs and cultures and meet people. And gain experience," he said.
His trip can be sponsored here, while those who want to can also walk alongside him to show support or offer him a place to stay.
