A Pocket full of Dreams

If you ask Lukas Rathgeber what makes him tick, he'll say sport, of course – particularly triathlon which he takes part in constantly –, but also humanitarianism. And it's not a misuse of the word: his entire life revolves around this irrepressible need to feel useful. It all began in 2016, when he obtained a diploma in Law, with a specialisation in Human Rights. "Helping" was already the main component of his career back then, and of a vision that has never left him.  It took him to the other side of a world in which some children have very few prospects. 

When he met the ACCESS charity, a Nepalese not-for-profit organisation working to offer these children a better life, without abuse, without forced labour and with decency, Lukas felt like he belonged. He felt that his duty had moved beyond observation to action: what could he do to support this cause so dear to him?

Lukas became involved with this association, running an awareness campaign against child labour. Then he came up with the idea of the Himalayan-XTri Nepal: an extreme long-distance triathlon at high altitude in some of the most impressive mountains in the world. "I decided to combine my passion for this sport with a fund-raising campaign for ACCESS, an association that works without public funding. For me, this project was a way of giving something back to a country that taught me a lot when I spent six months there", he explains to justify his unwavering motivation. The "A Pocket Full of Dreams" project was born, together with a fund-raising drive that will leave sweat on his brow and involve a bumpy road fraught with difficulties and unforeseen events!

A different kind of triathlon

Lukas Rathgeber: "There were a number of challenges during the Nepal triathlon X in May, particularly training in cold weather and stomach flu just before the race. Despite these obstacles, I performed well in the swimming and cycling segments, but I had some problems during the race, a marathon climb from 1,500 m to 4,000 m: severe dehydration, stomach problems and bad weather forced me to abandon before reaching the summit.  In the end, the race was cancelled because of a storm. I was disappointed, of course, but this experience taught me resilience, acceptance and the importance of gratitude, particularly towards my father, who has been my greatest support throughout my sporting adventures."

The start of many fund-raisers

Despite a difficult race, the most important thing is that Lukas collected over €5,000 for the ACCESS charity, enabling the purchase of essential products such as food, school uniforms and supplies. Thanks to this help, the association was also able to call on trauma experts to support children in their psychological recovery. This fund-raiser will undoubtedly be followed by many more for Lukas, who wants to finalise a Doctorate in Refugee Law.