International Women’s Day is just one day. But by becoming a Citizen of Skateistan, you can help to empower women and girls all year round.
We’re always looking for opportunities to address gender inequality. Many of you know that we aim for 50% girls’ participation in our programs and over the years, we have learned a lot about the different ways that we can inspire and encourage girls.
Something that’s really key is role models. When girls see other girls and women succeeding, or leading change, they know that this is something possible for them. That’s why we employ female educators and women in leadership roles wherever we can.
So this year, we were really excited to get the chance to inspire some of our newest students in Atlantis, South Africa. The programs in Atlantis have only been running for a few months and it has been quite challenging to increase our girls’ participation because of gender stereotypes in the community and concern over getting home safely after classes.
We asked Melissa Williams, an incredible skater for Vans SA, to pay a visit to our programs with some of her friends. Sara Parson Terras, an awesome skate photographer from Berlin was also in town and went along to document the session. Mel and her friends spent hours skating with our students in their girls-only sessions, helping them to improve and showing them what’s possible for girls.
It’s this kind of experience that girls remember for a long time. Sessions like this, where girls have an amazing experience and know that someone took time out of a really busy schedule to spend time with them, can have a huge impact.
We are super stoked to share these awesome photos with you from the day. Huge thanks to Sara Parson Terras for capturing these special moments, and to Mel for skating with our students.
Instead of just celebrating IWD for one day, we marked it for two whole months. And we’re asking our supporters to make a commitment to supporting girls’ empowerment by becoming Citizens of Skateistan. Join our global community of supporters by donating $10 a month or more, and make a difference to the lives of girls all year round.
