Skateistan (Afghan Skateboarding Training Association)
This project's parent organization is Skateistan
It operates in Afghanistan
It uses Skateboarding
Entered the Sport for Conflict Resolution Award
More about Skateistan (Afghan Skateboarding Training Association)
Skateistan is an award-winning international non-profit organization that empowers at-risk youth through skateboarding and education. Over 1000 Afghan youth attend Skateistan's innovative programs every week, 40% are girls. Skateistan is the first international sport for development initiative to combine skateboarding with educational outcomes.
Conflict in Afghanistan has been largely ongoing since 1978, leading to severe social dislocation, limited educational opportunities and extreme poverty. Children and youth make up over two-thirds of Afghanistan’s population. For many girls, street-working children, youth living with a disability and minority groups, Skateistan is the first opportunity they have for sport and education. Youth learn the creativity and problem-solving skills that will be essential to finding a way forward from conflict and instability in Afghanistan. As it is a very new and unique sport in Afghanistan, skateboarding is used as the “hook” to connect vulnerable youth to educational opportunities.
Without Skateistan’s Skate Schools, the majority of students would not have access to education or a safe place to play sport and learn for free, especially girls.