Skateistan is Releasing a Book!

"A skateboard park and school surrounded by war makes perfect sense in a senseless world, doesn’t it?" – C.R. Stecyk III 

After years of interviews, documentation, and hard work by many people, we're stoked to announce the release of Skateistan's very first book!

Skateistan: The Tale of Skateboarding in Afghanistan shares the strange and beautiful intersection of traditional Afghan society and a new generation of Afghan skateboarders and artists. Through a balanced mix of words and photographs, the book tells the tale of Skateistan, which since 2007 has taught skateboarding and creative arts to girls and boys in Kabul, Afghanistan.

This 320-page color book features inspiring and previously unpublished photographs accompanied by essays, interviews and personal stories from Skateistan’s founder Oliver Percovich and the young Afghans that have gone from being streetworking kids to teachers in the skatepark and classrooms. Full of hope, beauty, brutal honesty – and skateboards – this is a story about Afghanistan that you won’t find anywhere else.

The book’s official release date is set for June 9, 2012 in Berlin, Germany, with purchase available soon through Amazon US, the Skateistan online store, and local skateboard shops.

The book was designed by Skateistan's Art Directors Alexandra Bald and Ana Lessing who are part of the C-D-A-P collective, which will also be organizing the release event. 

For an in-depth preview and more information about our book please check out the following link: http://skateistan.org/book/

For pre-ordering, fill out our form: http://skateistan.org/book/#buy

Afghan Skater Profile: Noorzai Ibrahimi

Introducing Noorzai Ibrihami: 16 year old skateboard instructor, skatepark maintenance crew member, and one of Afghanistan's best skateboarders. Our recent Yak Daqa #5 will introduce you to Noorzai's skills on a skateboard...

Für diese Bedarfe habe ich eine (Teil-)Auszahlung veranlasst:

12 Warm Milk and Lunches	€776.-
6 Student Art Supplies	€341.-

Liebe SpenderInnen, vielen Dank für Ihre Unterstützung. Mit den gesammelten Spenden für "Materialien Kunstunterricht" und "Heisse Milch und Mittagessen" werden wir nächstes Jahr in der Lage sein, die kreativen Kunstprojekte unserer Skateistan-Kids zu finanzieren sowie für deren leibliches Wohl zu sorgen. Ein Teil der Spenden wird aller Voraussicht nach in unserem neuen Projekt in Masar-e Sharif in Nordafghanistan zum Einsatz kommen. Bleiben Sie auf dem Laufenden und besuchen Sie unsere Webseite(n): skateistan.org oder skateistan.de. Das Skateistan-Team und die Kids bedanken sich herzlich bei Ihnen. Herzlich Ihr Skateistan-Team

Für diese Bedarfe habe ich eine (Teil-)Auszahlung veranlasst:

6 Student Art Supplies

€559.-

Liebe SpenderInnen, vielen Dank für Ihre Unterstützung. Mit den gesammelten Spenden für "Materialien Kunstunterricht" werden wir nächstes Jahr in der Lage sein, die kreativen Kunstprojekte unserer Skateistan-Kids zu finanzieren. Ein Teil der Spenden wird aller Voraussicht nach in unserem neuen Projekt in Masar-e Sharif in Nordafghanistan zum Einsatz kommen. Bleiben Sie auf dem Laufenden und besuchen Sie unsere Webseite(n): skateistan.org oder skateistan.de. Das Skateistan-Team und die Kids bedanken sich herzlich bei Ihnen und wünschen Ihnen eine frohe, friedvolle und besinnliche Weihnacht. Herzlich Ihr Skateistan-Team

Young Skateistan volunteer wins UNESCO drawing contest

Skateistan students recently took part in a United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) and United Nations Girls’ Education Initiative (UNGEI) drawing contest to promote the importance of gender equality in education.

This semester at Skateistan our curriculum is all about the arts, so the drawing contest was a perfect opportunity to explore how we can express ourselves visually. Each class had discussions about equality in education before starting the drawings back in September.

The winners were recently announced on the UNESCO website and one of our very own students, Hamdullah, was selected as a contest winner alongside other young artists from as far away as Bhutan, Timor and Mongolia. His drawing will be published in the UNGEI 2012 calendar.

According to UNGEI, "More than 3,000 drawings were received from 24 countries illustrating how gender equality in education benefits everyone. The aim of the contest and of the calendar is to raise public awareness on regional issues of gender equality in education, and to paint a picture of the benefits reaped from gender equality in education for both girls and boys."

Hamdullah first came to Skateistan as a student, but has since become a volunteer, helping to teach and translate in workshops. He is also one of the star students in our advanced film-making classes. Keep it up Hamdullah, we are all proud of you!

Check out the drawing here.

One Minute with Fazila at Skateistan

Every month, we give you a snap-shot of Skateistan's most remarkable moments and people. We call these clips Yak Daqa, which means "1 minute" in Dari. This month we caught up with Fazila, star of our feature-length documentary, Four Wheels & A Board in Kabul, and one of four young women who recently traveled to Italy to represent Skateistan at a youth leadership event. Past Yak Daqa videos are available on our Youtube channel. You can watch the new installment below and share the link to let others know about it too...

New Skateistan Helmets and Pads Arrive at Skatepark

Earlier this week a pretty awesome delivery showed up at Skateistan’s doorstep. The shipment was full of new Skateistan TSG pads and helmets. TSG has been a major sponsor for Skateistan since 2008. The first shipment of pads came to Afghanistan when sessions were still being held at Mekroyan fountain, well before the indoor skateboarding facility was built.

The protection that these pads provide for the kids of Skateistan is crucial.  Although the kids out here are super tough, they still take some pretty rough falls and rely on the pads and helmets to keep them safe. The protection of the children is the top priority at Skateistan and we make sure that each and every child is geared up from head to toe before they can skate. More.

Thank you all for your support!

German Foreign Minister visits Skateistan in Kabul

Last week Skateistan was lucky enough to host Guido Westerwelle, who is the Minister for Foreign Affairs and former Vice Chancellor of Germany. Westerwelle was visiting Afghanistan to oversee the NATO handover of security in Mazar-i-Sharif to Afghan forces. While in Afghanistan, the Foreign Minister made it a point to stop by for a quick tour of Skateistan.

Germany has been a major supporter of Skateistan since its beginnings. The German Federal Foreign Office was a major funder for the 2009 construction of Skateistan’s Kabul facility, and is offering to aid in funding the construction of a new facility in Mazar-i-Sharif.

During his visit, Westerwelle was given an in depth look into the daily activities at Skateistan. The tour included classroom visits, a climbing demo by Skateistan students Fazila and Faranas, and a quick skateboarding exhibition from the boys skate class. The visit ended in the upstairs conference room where the Minister was presented with a gift package that included his own Skateistan t-shirt. Westerwelle also brought gifts for the students of Skateistan including paper, pencils, paints, and other art supplies for classes.

Skateistan Art Exhibit a Huge Success

In early February Skateistan transformed half of its skate facility into the jam-packed Youth, Arts, Peace! (YAP!) exhibition with work from over 300 students on display. A brightly painted butterfly built from broken skateboards hung on one wall, while student photography, poetry, comic strips and murals were displayed on all sides.

The biggest hit among students in attendance was the live performance of selected student puppet shows in the newly built puppet theatre box. Students were encouraged to walk around the space looking at the different displays and performances, spotting their own work and finding themselves in the numerous photos on the walls which showed the process behind each art project.

Aside from the 200+ students and a number of parents in attendance there were several visitors from other local NGOs, embassies and UNAMA, which funded the arts workshops and exhibition. As the workshops were created with the illiteracy of many Afghan youth in mind, arts projects focused on sharing messages through imagery primarily, and words secondarily. A favourite among guests was the "Ideal Kabul" photo series, in which children took digital photos in Kabul, near the skatepark, chose one each to print and spent the following week drawing their "ideal" image of what the city will look like in the future. Flowers, trees, skateboarders, new buildings, fountains and airplanes were popular additions.

The exhibition also included poetry performances, a video room, a demonstration on the new climbing wall by male and female staff, a skate demo by the best male/female/disabled students, and a live Afghan music performance.

Semester 4 Gains Momentum

On November the 20th Skateistan Students began their fourth semester. In association with UNAMA, this semester Skateistan students will be producing their own magazine and DVD that will be distributed throughout Afghanistan, as well as putting on their very own public art exhibition in Kabul. To start off their project, the first week of class included an in depth discussion about what Skateistan students would like to teach and share with other children and their families in Afghanistan. 

Some of the most popular ideas were sharing knowledge and solutions about issues related to health, education, the environment, and peace. The students decided that all the materials in the magazine, DVD, and art exhibition should be accessible to everyone in Afghanistan, especially other children who are illiterate, so their publications and art show will include plenty of illustrations. They also decided that the materials for their projects will be aimed at bringing together different communities to build peace. 

Since their brainstorming session students have undertaken the fabrication of puppets for a puppet theatre performance and a poetry and illustration project in their classes. In the coming weeks some of the other projects students will take on are comics, a mural for the skatepark, and a song about peace with a student written and directed music video. There has also been a special magazine group formed so that students that are interested in the magazine creation process have the opportunity to lead the process and learn about some of the different tasks associated with publishing.

Kabul's First Climbing Wall Built at Skateistan!

A three-faced climbing wall has just become the newest addition to the Skateistan facility, and the first to climb to the top was Benafsha, a young Afghan woman who is also Skateistan's newest staff member. She impressed the onlooking staff and students with her skills, considering it was her first time ever climbing! The 6x9 meter cilmbing wall was built over the past two weeks with the support of the German climbing utility manufacturer T-Wall. Skateistan hopes there will be the same enthusiasm among Kabul's youth for rock climbing as there is for skateboarding.

Read the full article here.

Skateistan baut Kletterwand

Zusammen mit T-Wall erweitert Skateistan die Halle in Kabul. An einer sechs mal neun Meter großen Kletterwand können sich die Schüler künftig behaupten und schulen Kommunikation, Vertrauen und Motorik. Beim Routensteigen und gegenseitigen Sichern lernen die Kinder und Jugendlichen, vertrauensvoll miteinander zusammenzuarbeiten. Gebaut wird die Kletterwand unter der Leitung der erfahrenen Zimmermeister Elias Hitthaler und Martin Walch, Skateistan e.V. finanziert das Projekt.

Mehr Infos hier: Skateistan baut Kletterwand

Student Projects on Environmental Health

Im zweiten Semester befassten sich unsere Schüler und Schülerinnen mit Umweltschutz sowie den MDGs. Das Video gibt es hier zu sehen:

Skateistan auf Deutsche Welle

Die Deutsche Welle berichtet über Skateistan. Den Artikel gibt es hier (Englisch).

Erste Schulstunde in Skateistan!

In Skateistan findet nun auch richtiger Schulunterricht statt. Selbstverständlich wird dabei Rücksicht auf die kulturellen Bedürfnisse der Kinder geachtet und so gibt es einen täglichen Wechsel zwischen Unterricht für Jungs und Mädchen.

Jetzt steht für die Skateistan Kinder also nicht mehr nur skaten auf dem Stundenplan, sondern auch Unterrichtsstunden in unter anderem Englisch, Friedensarbeit, Teamwork und Sicherheit auf dem Skateboard. Die Stunden werden sowohl von afghanischen, als auch von ausländischen Lehrern gehalten.

Nach den Schulstunden geht es dann zum Training in die Skatehalle.

Bilder der ersten Unterrichtsstunden sind demnächst in der Bildergalerie zu finden.

First Classes Begin

School is in session at Skateistan! Classes are broken up into groups that alternate daily between male and female students. Programming is divided equally between time in class and instruction in the skate park. Classes are participatory lessons that focus on teamwork, peace building, safety, English language, and more. Lectures are always taught by both a foreign and local teacher.

After class time is over students suit up in safety gear and spend the remainder of the session in the skate park under the supervision of the skate instructors. Transportation is provided for students to and from the Skateistan facility.

Skateistan wins the Peace and Sport NGO of the Yea

Skateistan has been given the award for best non-governmental organization of the year in Monaco by the Peace and Sport Forum. In the presence of H.S.H Prince Albert II, Skateistan Executive Director Oliver Percovich received the award from Peace and Sport Director and former world champion Joel Bouzou. The 3rd annual forum and award ceremony was organized by the “Organization for Peace through Sport.”

Nearly 30 world champions, acting as ambassadors for peace through sport, government representatives and dignitaries from around the world connected to sport attended the three day forum. Dr. Vivian Balakrishnan, the Singaporean Minister for Community Development, Youth and Sports gave insights into the upcoming Youth Olympic Games next year in his country. He stressed the importance of sporting events creating a legacy to build bridges and community ties. South Africa’s Minister for Sport explained the difficulties and challenges his country is facing by hosting the next world soccer championships and the ways in which they look to overcome these issues.

Asheesh Bhalla, representing Skateistan, spoke on a panel which discussed the topic “Ensuring the Economic Sustainability of Programs.” He explained how Skateistan is developing its partnerships with different brands to develop alternative sources of income alongside traditional major donors such as government organizations and foundations. Skateistan is licensing its name and will have co-branded products with two major companies in 2010. Bhalla said “it is important to find out what companies want and work with them strategically.”

Skateistan wins the Peace and Sport NGO of the Yea

Skateistan has been given the award for best non-governmental organization of the year in Monaco by the Peace and Sport Forum. In the presence of H.S.H Prince Albert II, Skateistan Executive Director Oliver Percovich received the award from Peace and Sport Director and former world champion Joel Bouzou. The 3rd annual forum and award ceremony was organized by the “Organization for Peace through Sport.”

Nearly 30 world champions, acting as ambassadors for peace through sport, government representatives and dignitaries from around the world connected to sport attended the three day forum. Dr. Vivian Balakrishnan, the Singaporean Minister for Community Development, Youth and Sports gave insights into the upcoming Youth Olympic Games next year in his country. He stressed the importance of sporting events creating a legacy to build bridges and community ties. South Africa’s Minister for Sport explained the difficulties and challenges his country is facing by hosting the next world soccer championships and the ways in which they look to overcome these issues.

Asheesh Bhalla, representing Skateistan, spoke on a panel which discussed the topic “Ensuring the Economic Sustainability of Programs.” He explained how Skateistan is developing its partnerships with different brands to develop alternative sources of income alongside traditional major donors such as government organizations and foundations. Skateistan is licensing its name and will have co-branded products with two major companies in 2010. Bhalla said “it is important to find out what companies want and work with them strategically.”

Fotos der Eröffnung der Skatehalle

Im Bereich "Bilder" finden Sie jetzt die Aufnahmen von der Eröffnung der Skatehalle in Kabul.

Die Veranstaltung war ein großer Erfolg und die Skatehalle wird bereits rege genutzt.

Das Skateistan-Team freut sich sehr! 

Kabul: Eröffnung der Skatehalle am 29.10.2009

Seit zwei Jahren arbeitet das Skateistan-Team mit ganzer Kraft daran, einen indoor Skatepark in Kabul zu eröffnen. Dementsprechend glücklich sind Alle, nun die die offizielle Eröffnung Kabul's größter Sport-und Skatehalle bekannt geben zu können. Am 29. Oktober findet die feierliche Eröffnung endlich statt. Dieser Meilenstein konnte nur durch die Zusammenarbeit von afghanischen und internationalen Teams ermöglicht werden - und natürlich durch Ihre Spendengelder!

Die Eröffnungsfeier wird mit kurzen Reden von Gästen und Gratulaten aus aller Welt beginnen. Danach zeigen die afghanischen Kinder, was sie auf den Skateboards schon gelernt haben. Auch international bekannte Skate-Profis werden vor Ort sein und die neuen Rampen und Hindernissen einweihen. Bilder der Veranstaltung finden Sie in den nächsten Tagen hier auf Betterplace.

SKATE HALL OPENING

After two years of working towards this goal, the Skateistan team is extremely pleased to announce the official opening of Kabul’s largest indoor sports facility and skate park at 2pm on the 29th of October. This milestone has been achieved through the collaborative efforts of an Afghan and international team.

The opening will commence with short greetings from international donors and Afghan dignitaries. Speeches will be followed by a skateboarding demonstration by Afghan girls and boys together with internationally renowned professional skateboarders on the newly built ramps and obstacles.

Sicherheitssets - durch Ihre Spenden finanziert -

Im Bereich "Fotos anschauen" wurden Aufnahmen der trainierenden Kinder und Jugendlichen hochgeladen. Die Sicherheitsausrüstung, die durch Ihre Spenden finanziert wurden, gehören selbstverständlich zu jedem Training dazu.

 

Wir sagen an dieser Stelle noch einmal ganz herzlich "DANKE"

Das Skateistan-Team

International volunteer program for Skateistan

This August, we will be launching a program for international volunteers dedicated to facilitating and improving the spectrum of Skateistan’s activities. All volunteers will be based in Kabul for three to six months at a time. The first volunteer to participate will be arriving in August.We seek potential volunteers with any of the following qualifications:

(1) A background in education.(2) Desire to work with children and/or the handicapped.(3) Knowledge of skateboarding (including how to teach skateboarding).(4) Experience in office administration.(5) Knowledge of Central Asia and/or Islamic culture in general.

Please send a CV and cover letter to hr@skateistan.org. We especially encourage females to apply.

Media about Skateistan

Please read interesting articles about Skateistan:

• http://www.theworld.org/2009/08/07/a-skateboarding-park/ 
• http://espn.go.com/action/news/story?id=4384172 
• http://www.warnewsradio.org/2009/08/07/piecing-it-together/

 

Thanks for your support!

Over the last days the number of Skateistan-Supporters has grown  to a remarkable count of 29. Thank you all so much for your support. Within the next days and weeks you will get detailed information about the project's achievements and advancements made possible by your donations. At the moment, the biggest project that the Team is working on is the construction of a skatehall in Kabul. The kids are happy that they can keep on skating - even in the winter. Find pics of the construction site in the section "images". Warm regards, Your Sktateistan-Team

Ein Dank an alle Unterstützer!

Allein in den letzten Tagen stieg die Zahl der Skateistan-Unterstützer hier bei Betterplace auf beachtliche 29. Vielen Dank Ihnen allen für Ihre Hilfe. Genauere Hintergrundinformationen, welche Verbesserungen und Fortschritte mit Hilfe Ihrer Spendengelder erreicht werden konnte, werden wir in den nächsten Tagen und Wochen hier veröffentlichen.

Aktuell wird in Kabul mit Hochdruck am Bau einer Indoor-Skatehalle gearbeitet. Die Kinder freuen sich riesig, auch im Winter mit ihrem Hobby - dem Skateboarden - weiter machen zu können. Bilder der fast fertigen Halle finden Sie unter "Fotos".

Ganz herzliche Grüße,

das Skateistan-Team

Innovative support from a generous hairstylist

Approximately one year ago, a young German hairstyling student read a piece about Skateistan. When she found herself working as a nurse in the German military hospital in Mazar-e-Sharif soon after, the skateboarding students of Kabul lingered in her mind. The soldier, Alexandra H., decided to use her skills to support Skateistan in any way she could — so she began to collect donations by giving haircuts to German soldiers serving in Afghanistan.

News of Alexandra’s “haircuts for a good cause” spread rapidly at Mazar-e-Sharif’s Camp Marmal. Before long, she had given 150 haircuts: at the end of June 2009, she generously handed all of the profits to Skateistan.

Alexandra, who has promised to continue her fundraising efforts for Skateistan when she returns to Germany, has quickly become one of the organization’s most innovative and committed supporters.

Skateistan now official in Afghanistan

Skateistan is now registered with the government as a local Afghan NGO. According to the Afghan government’s rules and regulations pertaining to NGO registration, Skateistan’s official name has become the Afghanistan Skateboarding Training Organization (ASTA). We will, of course, continue to be known as Skateistan.

As a registered NGO, Skateistan will be able to interact with government authorities more easily, receive funds and grants more efficiently, and secure visas more quickly.

Construction continues

The construction of our new skatepark facility next to Ghazi Stadium in Kabul continues on, with the support of the Abbasy Construction Company, Ltd (ACCL). ACCL has contributed $200.000 to the project.

The all-inclusive skateboarding complex will feature ramps, mini-ramps, curbs, banks, two classrooms with high-speed internet and computers, a first aid center, a canteen and snack bar, offices overlooking the premises, four showers and washrooms for boys, four separate showers and washrooms for girls, a secure entrance, and three emergency exits.

The construction site is 5,248 square meters large, and the building itself will cover 1,750 square meters. The facility will be completed in August.

We Skated! Kabul

 

Several news outlets have featured stories about our celebration of international Go Skateboarding Day on Monday June 21, and the laying of the cornerstone at our new skatepark next to Ghazi Stadium on Tuesday June 22. Read all about it:

WorldChanging

Axis of Logic

Jezebel

Transworld Skateboarding

Pajhwok Afghan News

KSDK 5

National Post

 

Go Skateboarding Day Kabul

Skateistan's first GSD in Kabul on June 21st: Skate-a-thon and competition in honor of Go Skateboarding Day, a holiday on which we recognize the value of skateboarding to youth in societies across the world. Join the Skateistan students as they skateboard from Bibi Mahru to Macroryan. There will be a celebratory skateboarding competition upon arrival at the empty fountain in Macroryan.

Brieffreunde gesucht

Kreisjugendring Würzburg will Brieffreundschaften mit Skateistan ins Leben rufen! Eine Welt abseits von Krieg und Armut soll das Projekt „Skateistan“ für Kinder und Jugendliche in Kabul sein. Der Deutsch-Australier Oliver Percovich leistet hier Entwicklungshilfe der besonderen Art. Durch einen Bericht in der Main-Post wurde der Kreisjugendring Würzburg auf die Organisation aufmerksam. Carsten Hackel, Vorstand des Kreisjugendringes, war so begeistert von der Idee, dass er direkt eine Hilfsaktion startete. Neben einer großen Skateboard-Sammelaktion entstand auch die Idee, Brieffreundschaften zwischen deutschen und afghanischen Kindern ins Leben zu rufen. Für viele Kinder bedeutet „Skateistan“ zumindest einen Teil ihres Alltags in einem normalen Umfeld zu verbringen. Da kann der Kontakt zu Kindern in Deutschland einen schönen Beitrag leisten. „Für unsere Kinder dagegen ist ein solches Projekt die Gelegenheit Vorurteile und Wissensdefizite abzubauen“, begründet Hackel das Engagement des Kreisjugendrings. Die Schirmherrschaft hat Kreistagsabgeordnete Elisabeth Schäfer übernommen. Da das Verschicken von Post nach Afghanistan kompliziert ist, würde der Kreisjugendring die Briefe (möglichst in Englisch verfasst) sammeln und den Versand abwickeln. Gesucht werden Jugendgruppen, Klassen, Vereine aus dem Landkreis. Kontakt: Kreisjugendring Würzburg, Wittelsbacher Str. 1, 97074 Würzburg, Tel. (09 31) 8 78 99, Mail: info@kjr-wuerzburg.de; Infos zu Skateistan:

Skateistan in der FAZ

Und wieder ein Artikel über Skateistan, dieses Mal in der Frankfurter Allgemeinen Zeitung (FAZ). Die Reporterin Friederike Böge war vor Ort und hat ihre Impressionen festgehalten. Zu lesen gibt es den Artikel hier: FAZ-Artikel

Antonia Rados (RTL) besucht Skateistan!

Die RTL-Korrespondentin Antonia Rados hat Skateistan in Kabul besucht und einen Beitrag darüber erstellt. Zu sehen gibt es diesen hier: RTL-Newsblog

Skateistan-Trailer

Skateistan - Infofilm

Olympisches Komitee unterstützt Skateistan

Das Afghanische Nationale Olympische Komitee (ANOK) zählt zu den neuesten Unterstützern Skateistans: Vergangene Woche hat der Präsident des ANOK Skateistan ein neues Gelände für den Bau der ersten Skatehalle zugesagt. Die Baufläche und Größe der Halle wächst von vormals 800 auf nun 2000 Quadratmeter. "Damit bietet sich die Chance auch andere Sport-Elemente zu integrieren (bsp. Kletterwand, Slackline-Area etc.), und die Halle somit zu einem Freizeitzentrum für die ganze Familie zu gestalten", freut sich Oliver Percovich, Projekdirektor von Skateistan. 

Skateistan in Frankfurter Rundschau

Interessanter Artikel über Skateistan in der Frankfurter Rundschau: Lesen

Mirwais

Wir haben unsere erste Unterstützung erfahren - vielen Dank dafür auch im Namen von Mirwais, der dadurch seine Arbeit für Skateistan fortsetzen kann. An dieser Stelle möchte ich Mirwais etwas näher vorstellen: 

INTERVIEW WITH Mirwais Ghulam Mohammad

HOW DID YOU FIND OUT ABOUT SKATEBOARDING? I was washing cars in Macrorayan when I first saw Oliver, Sharna, Shams, Mirwais and Moneer skating. I left the car I was washing and went to join the other children playing on the skateboards. I really liked it the first time. From then on, every time I saw Oliver and the others riding their motorcycles piled high with skateboards I would leave the cars and go to them to practice skating. After some months, Oliver asked me to join the Skateistan team.

WHAT WERE YOU DOING BEFORE JOINING THE SKATEISTAN TEAM? Before joining Skateistan, I was washing cars for 7 years. I had a number of special customers who would look for me, four foreigners and eighteen Afghans. For a four-wheel drive, I would make 80 Afghanis (around 1 Euro) for one hours work. I wash between 3 and 4 cars on a good day but I have to pay 20% of my wages to the guards who work nearby so they could buy tobacco. They are much bigger than me! In winter it was an especially difficult job to clean the cars as it is often below freezing and it is hard to scrape the ice from under the cars.

WHAT IS YOUR ROLE IN SKATEISTAN? I have been working for Skateistan for one and a half months. I am very happy in my job, I take care of the Skateistan office and guesthouse and make sure all the equipment is clean and oiled, ready for skating. When we teach the children, it is my job to help them as much as possible and make sure everyone is sharing the boards. I teach the boys new tricks and collect all the boards at the end of each session.

WHAT DO YOU LIKE BEST ABOUT SKATEBOARDING? I like learning how to ollie, drop off ledges and skate fast around the transition of the fountain that we skate. My favourite trick is to ollie and I practice this as much as I can in my spare time. I can now ollie almost 20 cm off the ground.

DO ANY OF YOUR SIBLINGS SKATE? Two of my younger brothers are skating. They wanted to learn after watching me skate. Now I teach them how to drop into the fountain, how to ollie and how to skate fast around the transition of the fountain.

WHAT DO YOU THINK OF SEEING FEMALE SKATEBOARDERS IN KABUL? I think it is good that there are girls skating. When I first saw the girls skating, it inspired me to try harder so I could be as good as them. Some of the girls skate better than the boys!

WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE TO DO IN THE FUTURE? I would like to keep skateboarding and eventually become the champion skater of Afghanistan!

Mirwais Ghulam Mohammad is 16 years old and has four brothers and three sisters.

Skateistan in N24

Kommenden Freitag (13.03.), 12:30 Uhr, gibt es eine halbe Stunde Skateistan auf dem Nachrichtensender N24. Reinschauen lohnt sich!