Royal Patron: HRH The Duchess of Edinburgh GCVO
A once in a lifetime adventure in the Sahara Desert by Karan Chavan.

I want to tell you about my big journey to the Sahara Desert in Morocco. I never thought someone like me, from a small village in rural Karnataka, could go so far and see such things. This trip gave me so much happiness, not only to me but also to my family and friends. It taught me confidence and showed me I can do big things.

When I got invited on the OSCAR Foundation fundraising trek, my whole family was so happy. Everyone, my parents, my friends, even my neighbours were excited for me. I was scared at first because I never did anything like this before. But my family told me, “You can do it.” That gave me courage. I wanted to speak good English too, so I watched some spoken English videos. It helped me learn many new words.

Travelling alone on a plane to Morocco was not easy. I was scared about airports and flights because I didn’t know what to do. But Ashok Sir, Lucinda Ma’am, Govind Sir and Priyanka Ma’am always supported me. They told me, “Don’t worry, you will manage.” Their guidance made me feel brave.

When I reached Morocco, I saw new things everywhere – different culture, kind people and delicious food. I went to a market where I saw a football shirt. It reminded me of my own football skills. I also enjoyed the food in Marrakech and made new friends at the hotel who wanted to make me some rice!

The best part was trekking in the Sahara Desert and making so many new friends from the UK who all wanted to help me learn new things. First, we travelled 9 hours in a bus to reach the Sahara and stayed overnight in a simple hostel. The next day, the trek started. I felt so excited but also nervous. Walking on the sand for long hours was hard, but I didn’t give up. This experience taught me how to be strong, work with others and keep going no matter what.

During the trip, I also learned many new English words like “describe,” “horizon,” “resilient,” and “dexterous.” Now I can use these words when I talk, and it makes me feel proud. The trip has inspired me to continue to work hard and improve my English.

I want to thank Lucinda Ma’am, Ashok Sir and the amazing group of trekkers for trusting me and giving me this chance. This journey changed my life. Now, I want to start a trekking event in Karnataka to inspire others in my village to dream big and explore the world. I believe the lessons I learned in Morocco will help me grow and do good things for my community. 

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