Skateistan is Afghanistan’s first skateboarding school, with separate teaching days for male and female students, as well as classes for the disabled. It’s also one of very few recreational spaces for girls and young women in Kabul.
Skateboarding has been key in bringing together Afghan youth of all ethnicities and socioeconomic backgrounds, and the interaction is further built upon through classroom projects and discussion. The students themselves decide what they want to learn, while Skateistan provides them with the resources they need to develop skills and tell their own stories.
Students have learned English, theatre, art, journalism, environmental health and multimedia skills. Classroom output includes magazines, posters, theatre productions, photos and videos. Through mixing different ethnicities, poor and rich, educated and uneducated children in the classrooms, we work to build trust and understanding between children who would not normally interact. In all the classes team-building, learning responsibility, peace-building and leadership are encouraged.
Youth (under 26) account for 70 percent of the country’s population, and so the most worthwhile investment that can be made is to provide a space that encourages tolerance, a civil society built on trust, and opportunities for education. Furthermore, the absolute novelty of the sport means that there aren’t the social norms attached that prevent girls from taking part in other sports. To give girls in Kabul a venue to exercise, have fun and play together is one of the most important reasons Skateistan was created.
