History
Rodas da Liberdade and the Art of Making Your Dreams Come True!
In the early 1990s, Michel Eric Peneveyre , Michel Barras and Gerard Manzoni , all Swiss nationals who used wheelchairs after suffering from quadriplegia and paraplegia, came to Brazil. Here, they were confronted with the precarious conditions and lack of infrastructure for people with disabilities in this country. The misery was visible on the faces of these people who crawled on the floor or used totally inadequate wheelchairs, not to mention those who lived confined within four walls. Based on this observation, Michel and Gerard had the idea of creating what has become the Rodas da Liberdade Association today.
During their rehabilitation process, both Michel and Gerard, as well as Michel Barras, the Association's sponsor, have acquired great personal independence; they are pioneers in adapted sports and adapted extreme sports (snow skiing, paragliding, water skiing, diving, etc.) and all three have won medals in international championships. From then on, both of them wanted to share their experiences with the aim of awakening a new perspective on life in people with disabilities in Brazil, broadening their vision to seek a better life, and making the potential that exists within each person flourish.
RECOGNITION OF THE ASSOCIATION
It is important to highlight that the Porto de Galinhas Beach Without Barriers Project received the Good Practices Recognition Award from the Ministry of Tourism in the National Tourism Competition Index in 2014.
In 2016, this same Project was chosen by the Ministry of Tourism as one of the three destinations for the production of the Accessible Tourism Film produced for World Tourism Day, whose theme was “Accessible Tourism, a trip for Everyone!
The Rodas da Liberdade Association is recognized by the main associations in Porto de Galinhas, such as the Porto de Galinhas Hotel Association, the Porto de Galinhas Convention & Visitor Bureau, the Pernambuco State Tourism Department and the Ipojuca City Hall, the Porto da Boa Mesa Association, SEBRAE and SENAC, as well as other institutions in the region.
In Switzerland
Creation of the Wheels of Freedom in Switzerland
After hearing the stories of José and Jeorge, some of Michel's friends in Switzerland had the idea of helping low-income children with disabilities in Brazil and organized a party where they raised money to buy more wheelchairs, and thus the Rodas da Liberdade Association was created. The donations made changed the lives of other people with disabilities (+23 people) the following year. In addition, an adapted water skiing event was also held in Porto de Galinhas , with the presence of Michel Peneveyre and Michel Barras, both winners of national and world championships in this sport, showing the resilience and possibilities of people with disabilities.
From then on, the Association has a board of directors and members in Switzerland who participate with annual or spontaneous donations.
In Switzerland, the Association benefits from volunteers who remain active despite the geographical distance, and who participate and support by seeking financial means and conditions to subsidize part of the Association's activities, mainly linked to donations of wheelchairs. The Association has around 250 members who pay annual dues and organize a number of fundraising events.