Belgian Man, 59, Cycles 4,000 km to Morocco for Alzheimer’s Charity

"I’ve had this idea in mind for more than twenty years," M’hammed El Mounaim, a trained engineer, told SudInfo. "I finally decided to turn this project into reality, now that the children are grown up." This almost sexagenarian, known for having managed the "La Source" car wash on the road to Flobecq for many years, has prepared well for the bicycle trip. "I’ve been training since July, when I stopped working. Since then, I’ve been doing about 45 km per day on average. I needed a little time to get familiar with the bike and do some training. I’m ready. The investment is not an obstacle. When you have projects, it’s important to get started."

Leaving Ath on Wednesday, April 26, M’hammed should reach Morocco by bicycle in about a month and a half. "My journey will go through France, Spain and Morocco. I don’t know yet where I will end my trip. Either I’ll stop in Benslimane, my hometown, located 60 kilometers from the capital, Rabat, or in Agadir. It will depend on my physical condition. I should cover between 3,500 and 4,000 kilometers, if there are no detours. As for my accommodation, I will favor campsites or guesthouses." The objective of this bicycle trip by this citizen of Ath, "Momo à vélo", is to raise funds (reach a kitty of 4,000 euros) for the benefit of Ligue Alzheimer, an association providing information and support for patients, relatives and professionals dealing with Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia.

His followers on social networks are invited to sponsor a kilometer for one euro. "In my village in Morocco, my maternal grandmother died because of this. This disease really scares me. It’s a suffering for the patients, but also for their loved ones. I wanted to carry out this project for a good cause."