Skateistan – Skateboard Afghanistan

Skateboarding in Afghanistan – The idea sounds crazy, doesn’t it?

There are now over 750 skateboarders in Afghanistan – and nearly half of them are girls. How did this even happen? In a place where the female literacy rate is only 13%, where girls’ access to education, let alone sports, is a challenge. The Skateistan girls are doing it all. Watch this video and learn the incredible story of skateboarding in Afghanistan.

Keep Skateistan Rolling! – Facebook

• Skateistan works with over 1200 students every week worldwide (Kabul and Mazar-e-Sharif in Afghanistan, Johannesburg in South Africa and Phnom Penh in Cambodia), teaching skateboarding and arts-based education classes to youth aged 5-18.
• Over 40% of Skateistan students are female.
• Over 50% of Skateistan students are street working children.
• In Afghanistan, approx. 13% of females over the age of 15 are literate. Skateistan’s Back-to-School program helps students enroll or re-enroll in public school. Currently 112 students are enrolled, and since 2010, over 300 students have been part of the program.
• Sport leads to opportunities. 29 of Skateistan’s current staff members began as students.
• Sport, especially skateboarding, transcends deep seeded social and cultural barriers. In Afghanistan it is considered inappropriate for girls to ride bikes, but skateboarding is so new that there’s no stigma attached to it. Children from different backgrounds and tribes are also able to form strong friendships inside the skatepark.
• In April 2015, Skateistan had an incredible form of recognition from the new President of Afghanistan himself in his speech to congress! “The opportunities for women are indeed changing. I’m sure that many of you have seen those stunning Skateistan videos of others proudly taking their shiny eyed daughters to show off their new found skills in the ancient art of skateboarding. They are but the tip of the changes that are underway and which must be protected in advance.” – Ashraf Ghani, President of Afghanistan http://foreignpolicy.com/2015/03/25/livestream-afghan-president-ashraf-ghanis-address-to-congress/