formula 1 racing

TRIBUTE TO AYRTON SENNA

Since that horrible weekend in may 1994, where both Roland Ratzenberger en Ayrton Senna da Silva died, we learned more and more about the special person Ayrton was outside the racing tracks. Admired by many for his incredible racing talent, the respect grew when facts of his private life became more clear. We learned that Ayrton was very committed to helping people in Brasil who are less fortunate in life, although he hardly ever spoke of this help. Just before he died, he discussed with his sister Viviane about his business set up for this goal and how he could use it more strategically and constructive. When he died, the Senna family immediately started working on the ideas discussed. The Senna Foundation was created in Great Britain and the family fully donated the licensing company created by Ayrton before the accident - the licensing of the Senna brand, the image of Ayrton and the Senninha character- to support the actions the Instituto Ayrton Senna in Brasil was going to develop from that moment on. Contacts all over the world, already established by Ayrton, where used to set up several programmes with the clear aim of constructing a better social Brasil through education. Strong leadership is kept firmly in the hands of Ayrton’s sister, Viviane.

It has always been my dream to visit Brasil, which is an extra ordinary country. The difference between the rich and not so rich is huge and poignant. I established contact with the Instituto Ayrton Senna and asked them if they would take time to show me some of the projects they work on, while I was in Brasil. Very kindly, Cleo Araujo, invited me to visit two projects. When I first arrived in Brasil I had the idea of a country not very safe. People, books and media speak not well of the country. Of course I saw things that were not very pleasant, but in general I just met incredibly nice, welcoming and help full people. I could also see the difference in the beautifully kept houses of the rich and the circumstances of people living in the favelas (slums). Just outside my hotel, located in one of the worst areas of Sao Paulo, there were three boys of I guess no older then 9, sleeping on the small grass between the road. Young children were asking for money or food at the restaurants. It makes you realize how lucky we are to live where we live and to have what we have.

We also visited the grave of Ayrton at Murumbi Cemetery. If you were not shown where the grave is, it is likely you would have trouble finding it as it is only a small, flat plaque, lying in the grass in a circle situated around a tree. People visiting were quiet and sad even. I lit a candle and I left the peaceful place.

On my last day before returning to The Netherlands, I had my appointment with Cleo, from the Instituto. We agreed to meet up at the Instituto de Oncologia Pedatrica, which is a public hospital for children and adolescents with cancer.

As I did not want to be late for my appointment, I arrived rather early, which have me a chance to observe the waiting room. Very young children with bold heads from chemotherapy, youngster with missing limps as a result of bone cancer were waiting for their next consult or treatment. Everybody, from doctors to the doorman, were incredibly positive in the approach to the children. Everybody knew each other’s names and supported one and other in a warm and pleasant way. This hospital was built in coalition with several companies, which each build one floor of this hospital. One of the floors is maintained by the Institute and is dedicated as a play room. Here the children, many receive day treatment, can come before or after a treatment and get distracted by toys, video’s and computer games. Also they visit the children that have to stay inside the hospital for longer in their rooms with toys. I meet up with Cleo and she introduces me to Patricia Pecoraro, who is the coordinator of the Brinquedoteca (game library). Patricia shows Cleo and myself through the hospital, while explaining the work of the floor maintained by the Institute.

Both Patricia and Cleo are people with an incredible positive attitude. We stop many times because Patricia has a kind word for children or staff. The Brinquedoteca itself is a relatively large floor, compared to situations in Dutch hospitals, with many corners with different themes. There is a tree hut, a dressing up corner with beautiful costumes, a computer corner, a video library, a quiet corner where children can rest, a table dedicated to arts and crafts and so on. On the entrance of the floor there is a sculpture of the Senninha character on the wall.

While I look around I have to be careful not to get run over by some of the children driving in little carts and they definitely have priority. It looks beautiful and Patricia, the other members of staff and the many volunteers are truly dedicated to distracting children from what is ahead of them. Some 70 % of the children with cancer, if discovered early, are cured. It is somewhat of shock looking at the very young children with cancer, but the atmosphere is definitely one of positive attitudes. The toys are modern and clean. The floor has, besides the regular staff, the use of many volunteers from the community. There are many children and people in the room, per day some three hundred children and parents/caretakers visit this room.

Cleo stresses that this room is just a side branch of the Institute, as it is not one of their main areas of action. Before I left The Netherlands, I visited a play area in a Dutch hospital and took some pictures to show them. A

lso I had taken some typical Dutch figures, like Jip en Janneke en Nijntje, and colouring books etc. as a present for them having me. Patricia was very pleased with it. When I return to The Netherlands I will be showing the new pictures and giving new information to the play room in my own hospital. We can all learn from each other. We then said our goodbyes, promising to keep in touch. Cleo and I went for lunch while she explained the organisation of the Foundation and the Institute to me. It is a much smaller organisation then you might think. Only some thirty people work at the different projects. The impact however is big: at the moment some 500.000 children and adolescents in economical, personal or social difficulties are being helped through a project of the Institute at the moment. These figures are still rising. I learned about the special person Ayrton was and how his family and the other staff members are so very special as well. They are truly committed to their task and responsibility.

What the Institute does, is not actually ask for money of individuals, but make alliances with companies and construct smart chains of teamwork with them. The key words are taking one’s own responsibility for social problems, constructing together and using education as a tool for creating to achieve a better Brasil. As the youth of today are the adults of the future, children and adolescents are their main focus. However, whole communities are asked to join in to achieve all this. It can only be a success if it is a joint effort. We then moved to the sport complex of the University of Sao Paulo, where one of the six partners of Education through Sport Program takes place. In this place extra activities are offered, mainly sports activities to youngsters from a neighbourhood not so well of. We met up with Marcos Vinicius Moura e Silva, who is the coordinator of this project. Again it stuck me how positive and enthusiastic people are. Marcus has been working at this project from the beginning and explained how the project works.

There are six Universities in Brasil which have a project like this. The University offers accommodation and material for about three hours a day per child. The alliance made here is that a graduated teacher from Physical Education (PE) teams up with a practical trainee/student from PE, one from Psychology and one from the Pedagogical Department. (In the other 5 Education through Sports Programme there are also students and teachers from Arts Colleges who also work at the projects.

The Sao Paulo Project is an exception since they are still not working with people from Arts, but they are definitely trying to start bringing this area to the project. The students gain experience with their profession to be and have a constructive and active role in dealing with social problems. Again, they learn to feel responsible too, instead of just blaming the government. Audi Germany has teamed up with the programme, which in total consists of six projects like this on Universities throughout the country. The children all got T-shirts with the Senninha character on it, it is almost worn as their uniform and they are very proud of wearing it.

This year they have started with several age groups. The young children are offered PE lessons. The next group will be educated in basic skills for several sports and the eldest group can chose one or two sports in which they want to specialize in. However, the programme is certainly not about creating professional athletes! It is all about creating an improvement of family life and the child’s life itself.

This programme as well as the former is again about making a complete package: it is not just the sports lessons, but before each lesson the teams sit together and discuss things, after the training they eat together (all provided by the project), there are exhibitions made together with the children (while I was there they just finished an exhibition on Ayrton Senna), games are being held, the community is asked to join in all sorts of ways, etc., etc. Before I left The Netherlands I has written to PSV and Ajax if they were willing to donate some small stickers, pens etc and they both granted my request. Therefore I could thank Marcus and the children for them having me over with some Dutch football glory. We then said our goodbye’s and Cleo made me very happy as she gave me a picture book about the sport’s programme with beautiful pictures and sayings from Ayrton and other member of the programme.

By now, I had heard and seen so much, that I was overwhelmed by this special Institute. Never, had I imagined that this was such a large scale Institute, with so little employees in the office staff. I had not realised how much was already in function before Ayrton died. I was firmly impressed by seeing constructive work being done instead of blaming governments, which is the easy way, and doing nothing yourself.

I hope that by reading this piece, people are shown once again about the good work this Institute does and Dutch companies: if you would need one good project to support, then think about this one!

(Note: In May a new Formula 1 c.d. will be launched, all the proceeds will be given to the Instituto Ayrton Senna).

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