The Monte-Carlo Casino square is unusually buzzing on a Sunday morning. A colourful crowd, clad in cowboy hats and Native American feathers, is enjoying a breakfast of fresh croissants at Cafe de Paris. They are discussing their road maps in an enthusiastic anticipation of an adventure… Chic vintage cars are awaiting their passengers in front of the Casino. For the seventh year now, Martine Ackermann is hosting a vintage women’s charity rally in the Principality in support of the Child Care Monaco Foundation. Today we will tell you more about this Western” travel adventure in which Hello Monaco greatly enjoyed participating!
The Hello Monaco team was given a small, agile 1978 Fiat “Spider” convertible. Other guests were also enjoying a sleek Morgan Plus Four, a daring Ford Mustang, a sporty Caterham and other uniquely customized vintage models. The road map was kept strictly confidential until the very last moment. All the participants got their instructions and “got acquainted” with their cars just a few minutes before the start.
A Dashing “Western” Journey
We then set off on our dashing western journey. Every year a different theme is chosen for the rally. In 2020, Martine has invited her guests to dress up in a Country and Western style, cowboy boots and heavily-fringed suede jackets. The ladies were skilfully concealing their covid masks behind stylish bandanas. The Wild West spirit was truly present on the French Riviera.
Schools for Girls
In 2011, having travelled the world with her family, Martine Ackermann got flamed up with a desire to give worthy education to the children of the Jaipur region. Her impressions of India were so vivid that within a few years she founded her charity organization. «Child Care Monaco» has now been around in the Principality since 2012. Martine was particularly struck by the lack of female education in the Indian province. The priority was by tradition given to boys. From a young age, girls were subjected to street violence, forced to work and provide for their families. The foundation started by helping 20 children in need. Within a few years a school for girls was built educating some 110 children.
Thanks to “Child Care Monaco» a small Indian village in the Rajasthan area will never be the same. The first graduates already have received their “ticket to the future”. They are now university students encouraging their families to improve the life of the village. Child Care Monaco was also there during the lockdown providing food packages to some 100 low-income families in the Jaipur region.
Brought together by good intentions and an adventurous spirit, our vintage motley crowd reminds one more of the Mad Max movies. We then go to watch the buffalos at La Reserve du Mont d’Azur. The coast, blooming green hills and the mountains surround us. Eventually the views from our retro car look more like the Wild West desert.
“Hap Ô Tempo” Horse Show
“Hap Ô Tempo” treated us to a dashing horse show and a charity tombola. A young cavaliere impressed us all with her prowess. We finally arrived at the Palace – du Palais – at sunset to the sound of horns and applause. Our dashing crowd in its sand-dusty cowboy boots was happily tired after a busy day. We seem to have been teleported from the American prairies back to the elegant Principality.
Martine proudly shared her experiences and achievements during an official cocktail party.
More Indian Children Reading
More and more Indian children are now interested in reading. For two years, Child Care Monaco has been actively supporting the “library on wheels” project, particularly popular in the village. The charity now plans to reconstruct a small school in the Indian city of Odisha.
During the rally, the association raised 11,000 euros, of which 4,000 euros were spent to buy essential food kits for low-income families. The remaining amount is intended for the construction of two new classrooms in the school.
Child Care Monaco will be traditionally meeting with all the rally participants and many others at a Christmas charity gala dinner in December.
