Martina owns a garage full of historic automobiles. Every weekend she spends polishing chrome and tuning carburetors. Years ago she realized her love for old machines could have another dimension. She began seeking out young people who had a talent for mechanics but nowhere to learn. Today she has five of them in her “garage of dreams.” She calls them her golden hands.
The first boy who showed up with battered hands
Tomáš was sixteen when he knocked on Martina’s garage door. He was fixing old bikes and straightening body panels with a hammer, but nobody took him seriously. Martina gave him an old Felicia with a broken engine. “If you get it running, you can stay with me,” she told him. Tomáš got it working in three months. Today he’s a qualified auto mechanic and helps Martina with the crown jewels of her collection.
“That experience gave me more than school. Here I learned that every bolt has its place and every mistake can be fixed if you have patience and someone who believes in you.”
Not just teaching, but giving hope
Today Martina supports four other young mechanics in addition to Tomáš. Some came from children’s homes, others from families that couldn’t afford tools or courses. Each of them gets a spot in the garage, their own set of tools, and a regular wage for helping with restorations. In return she asks for nothing—only that they learn and one day pass the skills on.
“My father was a mechanic too and he taught me that the greatest joy is passing on a craft. I’m now passing on his legacy.”
Restoring cars and lives
Together with the young mechanics, Martina restores vintage cars and sells them to collectors. The proceeds are reinvested in the garage—for new tools, wages, and to support other emerging talents. Several of their restored cars have won awards at meets. For Martina, that isn’t the main thing. The main thing is that her protégés gain a profession and self-confidence.
When I see a boy who’d never held a wrench proudly looking at a car he took apart and rebuilt in a year—that’s a feeling I’d trade all my garages for.
Martina, vintage car collector and mentor
How to become a sponsor like this
Martina advises: “You don’t need a garage. You just need a workshop, some tools, or simply the willingness to teach. Look around—maybe a kid next door would love to learn but has nowhere to go. Give them a chance. The best collection isn’t of cars, it’s of the people you’ve helped stand on their feet.”
Author: Sponza editorial team
Photographs: (illustrative – a woman and a young mechanic beside a vintage car)
