It's Her Turn

Oliver Percovich: It's Her Turn

jess — Wed, 15 Jul 2020 09:18:58 +0000

Oliver Percovich: It's Her Turn jess Wed, 07/15/2020 - 11:18

Wed, 07/15/2020 - 12:00

Oliver Percovich

Our Founder and Executive Director, Oliver Percovich, explains why our current campaign, 'It's Her Turn' is so important.

I’m a feminist. I believe in the equality of women and men and so should you.

From day one, Skateistan has also been about equality. I think this is because of where we first began. There are many striking things about Afghanistan, but for me, back in 2008, the biggest thing was the lack of women and girls taking part in public life. I simply didn’t see women or girls doing any kind of sport or leisure activity. I was shocked that there almost weren't any women driving cars or motorcycles (and women that were on motorcycles often dressed as men to be safe). But statistics also show that Afghanistan is among the worst countries to be born a girl so no surprises.

When I first skated the streets of Kabul, it definitely wasn’t with the idea of founding an NGO with equality at its center. I was simply doing what I’ve done pretty much anywhere in the world - going out and exploring a new city on my skateboard. But when kids in Kabul started to follow me around, asking to have a go, I realized that a skateboard in this context could be something powerful. And when girls started to join in, the dots joined up and I knew that I could at least try to make a small difference.

The reason that girls were able to skateboard was because skateboarding was so new in Afghanistan that it wasn’t seen as a sport. There weren’t any societal rules that said that girls couldn’t do it. But that couldn’t last forever, and when girls reached around 12 years old, they would stop coming to those informal skate sessions in the fountain in Mekroyan. For many girls in Afghanistan, once she reaches a certain age, public life is very much restricted, and there is almost no chance of doing a sport in public.

That made me realize that we needed an indoor space. A place where girls could skate without being out in public. And so Skateistan was born; an indoor Skate School with classrooms as well as a skatepark. The whole idea was based on the need to provide a safe space for girls to skate.

That’s why I’m especially excited by Skateistan’s current campaign, It’s Her Turn. This campaign is all about the way that girls become empowered; not through being given permission from men, but by being inspired by other women.

Having female role models is so important for girls. As the saying goes, you can’t be what you can’t see. Having women in positions of leadership at Skateistan shows girls that they can also become leaders. All our Skate Schools are female-led and over 50% of our staff as well as our Advisory Board are women. Female educators understand the challenges that girls face, and can help them overcome these barriers from their own experience.

I’ve been stoked by the range of amazing and inspiring girls and women who are also helping to bring awareness to this campaign. Our short film features the incredible skateboarders Amar Hadid, Lucy Adams, Sarah Meurle and Helena Long. We have a photo collection of female skaters, photographed by women including Zorah Olivia, Norma Ibarra, Hannah Bailey, Raisa Abal, Olga Aguilar and Skateistan Educator, Mubaraka Muhammadi. The campaign has been shared by Sky Brown, Candy Jacobs and Jenny Jones. This army of support shows just how powerful it can be when women support other women. It’s a beautiful chain of support.

You can give the opportunity for a girl to grow into a leader at Skateistan by donating here.

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Yes

It's Zarafshan's Turn

jess — Fri, 03 Jul 2020 09:04:32 +0000

It's Zarafshan's Turn jess Fri, 07/03/2020 - 11:04

Fri, 07/03/2020 - 12:00

Zarafshan & Malalai spoke to Zahra, who wrote this

Meet Zarafshan, who is 13 and lives in Kabul. Zarafshan was scared because she thought her teachers would be unkind. But her Educator, Malalai, showed her the kindness is the best way to learn.

Zarafshan* is 13 years old and lives in Kabul, she has been coming to Skateistan since 2018. First she participated in the Back-to-School program, an accelerated learning program for children who are out of school. Once she had graduated from Back-to-School, she enrolled in public school in the fourth grade, but she kept coming to Skateistan and now attends the Skate and Create program. Zarafshan has introduced several students to Skateistan because she likes it so much, including her niece.

When she first came to Skateistan she was not able to make friends and talk to teachers because she was afraid of them. She thought that all teachers punish their students so she was scared to speak up in case she got something wrong. After coming to lessons at the Skate School for a week, she realized that her educators are kind and that lessons at Skateistan are fun. Malalai is Zarafshan’s Educator at Skateistan and it was Malalai who changed Zarafshan’s mind about teachers. Zarafshan has decided to become a teacher in the future just like her teacher at Skateistan.

Malalai was originally a student at Skateistan, and then she became a volunteer. She worked really hard and eventually became a part-time staff member, helping out in the Back-to-School classes. For Malalai, the most important thing is her students and she never gives up on them. She is like a role-model for her students, a kind and creative teacher.

Zahra, our Programs Officer in Kabul, spoke to both Zarafshan and her Educator, Malalai, to understand how one woman can inspire another.

Zahra: What have you learned from your Educator Malalai?

Zarafshan: Beside the lessons she taught me, I learnt to respect people, and I realized what a real teacher looks like.

Zahra: Is there something special she taught you?

Zarafshan: Now I know, when I become a teacher in the future, I should not punish my students, but rather be kind to them. I will be supportive and creative with my students. That way, my students will enjoy the lessons and learn new things.

Zahra: What did you want to help Zarafshan with when she first started coming to Skateistan?

Malalai: She was a quiet girl, not talking to anyone when she first came. When I asked her questions about what she had learned, she didn't even raise her hand to answer the questions. One day I asked her to come in front of the class and write the Dari alphabet on the whiteboard. I saw that she was shy and confused in coming in front of the class, so I encouraged her kindly to come and write the alphabet. She came in front of the class and wrote all of the alphabet plus numbers without a single mistake - this was in the very first week of the program. I was shocked! I thought she was shy because she didn’t understand but now I could see she was such an intelligent girl. I realized that she needed to be encouraged and supported, because she had low self-confidence.

Zahra: How did you do that?

Malalai: I realized her needs and supported her to become more self-confident. I knew that she would learn the lessons, but something stopped her from answering the questions and talking in front of the class. This is normal for girls because they are often told they will not be good in school. But we are gentle and kind to the students and we give them time.

Zahra: Who inspired you when you were younger?

Malalai: My mother was the one who inspired me, as she is a very good teacher. When I was a kid I always wanted to become a good teacher like my mother. She was my role model.

Zahra: What are your hopes for the future?

Zarafshan: I want to go to university and become a good teacher in the future, because my country needs good teachers more than anything else.

Zahra: What are your hopes for Zarafshan's future?

Malalai: As Zarafshan always talks about becoming a teacher, I hope she becomes a very good and supportive teacher in the future.

Skateistan is aiming to raise $75,000 by the end of July so that we can provide more spaces where girls like Sophea are supported, encouraged and celebrated. Donate today to show girls that they can be whatever they dream of being. It's Her Turn.

If you want more updates like this, sign up for our monthly newsletter!

*Zarafshan's name has been changed in accordance with Skateistan's Child Protection Policy.

Yes

It's Her Turn: Women by Women

jess — Fri, 26 Jun 2020 10:05:23 +0000

It's Her Turn: Women by Women jess Fri, 06/26/2020 - 12:05

Thu, 07/02/2020 - 12:00

Skateistan is a place where women support women. In this unique photo collection, incredible female photographers share iconic images of girls and women skateboarding. It's Her Turn.

It's Her Turn

Skateistan is a place where women and girls support each other. Our current campaign, It's Her Turn, examines the importance of role models for girls to realize their dreams. In this unique photo collection, incredible female photographers share iconic images of girls and women skateboarding.

We are grateful to all the photographers for their generosity in supporting this campaign: Raisa Abal, Olga Aguilar, Hannah Bailey, Norma Ibarra, Mimi Knoop, Mubaraka Muhammadi and Zorah Olivia.

It's Her Turn. Donate now.

Header image: Skateistan Afghanistan, by Hannah Bailey.

Around the world and in many aspects of life, girls are second in line. Society teaches girls to lower their expectations, to accept second best. Girls are pushed into a role in life which is predetermined. They are prevented from realizing their full potential.

That's about to change. Now It's Her Turn.

From day one at Skateistan, it's been our priority to include and encourage girls. Through skateboarding and creative education, girls at Skateistan find a way to explore their interests, develop their skills and defy society's expectations. We encourage girls to grow within our programs, so that as they get older, they can help younger girls to follow in their footsteps. Our female staff and students inspire others and their wider communities. Our aim is to support girls to build a better future in which they can thrive.

It's her turn to try, her turn to grow. It's her turn to lead.

Image: Mimi Knoop by Zorah Olivia

Support Skateistan to show girls that they can be whatever they want to be.

Donate today to give girls a space where they’re supported, encouraged and celebrated.

Yes

It's Natalie's Turn

jess — Thu, 25 Jun 2020 10:34:48 +0000

It's Natalie's Turn jess Thu, 06/25/2020 - 12:34

Mon, 07/13/2020 - 12:00

Natalie spoke to Cynthia & Wendy, who wrote this.

Meet Natalie, who is 16 and is in her last year of high school in South Africa. Natalie has bright hopes for her future and it is her role model, Wendy, who has helped her to chase these dreams.

Natalie is very bright and focused on her future - she has big dreams. The one thing, above all, that she would like to see herself doing is giving back to her community.

"I would like to get more kids off the streets, provide them with resources they don't have access to due to their financial issues at home, give them a place to be away from drugs and crime".

Natalie

Natalie has been coming to Skateistan for four years and she has a strong relationship with her Educator, Wendy. Although Natalie has always been good at school, she couldn’t work out a way to plan for her future. As the end of high school approached, Natalie was feeling nervous about how to build a life for herself.

Here she tells us about how things have changed for her at Skateistan, what she’s dreaming of for the future, and the role model who helped her along the way.

Natalie:

My perceptions towards life have changed since I joined Skateistan in 2016. It has given me the opportunity to know more than what I already knew about life and taught me to think outside the box, to be open to the world and be open to growth.

I remember when I was really confused about my career path and which tertiary institutions to further my studies at. Miss Wendy [Natalie's Educator] really helped and showed me that there was really a variety of career options to apply for. I have learned not to rush the process but simply to try my best in everything I do. My efforts will never go unnoticed. Since this is my last year in high school, I want to study a Bsc Biokinetics at University of Johannesburg or Medicine at the University of the Witwatersrand next year.

There was a moment in time when Miss Wendy shared with me that she did not allow her financial situation to stop her from achieving her dreams between covering for her studies and being a young adult. She started as a volunteer and went on to be a part-time educator at Skateistan, and a waitress on weekends during her first year of studies. She knows what it means to work hard and she never let anything put her off. She continues to inspire me for the work she does for the younger students at Skateistan and this community.

"She is a very good person, she is my advice giver and always here when I need someone to talk to. Miss Wendy has a very commanding presence, she is relatable and her leadership style is leading by example. I see her as someone a lot of people look up to."

Natalie

In turn, Wendy reflects on Natalie’s progress:

I see my younger self in Natalie; the pressure of being the first child, having to achieve so much and setting a good example for others but also having so much ambition, dedication and working hard for the things we want. When I was younger I needed guidance and mentors, but my community lacked such people. Growing up – I was my own role model. Like Natalie, I had dreams beyond my community – I still do. I am simply there for Natalie, someone I needed when I was younger and I am glad I can fulfil that role for her. And for me, that is the biggest blessing. I know what it takes to get to a place where I want to be. So I want to be a stepping stone for each and everyone of them, to achieve their dreams.

Skateistan is aiming to raise $75,000 by the end of July so that we can provide more spaces where girls like Natalie are supported, encouraged and celebrated. Donate today to show girls that they can be whatever they dream of being. It's Her Turn.

If you want more updates like this, sign up for our monthly newsletter!

*Natalie's name has been changed in accordance with Skateistan's Child Protection Policy.

Yes

It's Sophea's Turn

jess — Thu, 18 Jun 2020 14:27:48 +0000

It's Sophea's Turn jess Thu, 06/18/2020 - 16:27

Sun, 06/21/2020 - 12:00

Meet Sophea, who was once a student at Skateistan and is now a member of staff at Skateistan Cambodia.

Sophea is 21 years old and lives in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. She came to Skateistan through our partner organization when she was 16 years old.

When Sophea was young, she had a hard time managing her behavior and she had no clear goal for the future. Sophea’s family didn’t know how to deal with her as a child. They felt like she did not listen to instructions and sometimes they lost hope for her. She hadn’t had access to the right education and she felt like she was always making mistakes.

“I wanted to become a social worker but I did not know where to start.”

In 2014, when Sophea was in grade 8 she started attending the Skateistan Cambodia programs. Sophea registered to take part in the Skate and Create program, and a Youth Leadership program which combines the fun and freedom of skateboarding with arts-based education on subjects like human rights, the environment, staying healthy and the importance of safety, leading events, learning about child rights and becoming a leader.

‘‘I felt happy and I was surprised when I saw skateboarding for the first time. I wanted to try but I was afraid of trying sports.”

Sophea was scared to try and get involved in case she failed. This made her act out and her behaviour was hard to manage. Her friend from high school who is now a part-time educator and former skateistan student Suyeng said:

“Sophea was annoying me back then. She was too talkative and I didn’t feel good around her.”

Initially, Skateistan staff in Phnom Penh found it very difficult to speak with her. She was so afraid to try skateboarding. But her educators never gave up supporting and motivating her and tried to motivate, encourage Sophea. They didn’t put pressure on her but they could see that she liked to watch her friends skate. So they let her watch and they talked her through each trick. After a while, she could see what she needed to do. She saw her friends can do it and that meant she could do it too.

‘‘Skateboarding made me so happy and built my confidence. I will keep learning new tricks. I don't want people around me to be disappointed in me." Sophea said.

Sophea’s role model is Tin. While Sophea was still a student at Skateistan, she noticed Tin, who was an educator at that time, and she gradually progressed to Programs Officer and is now General Manager of Skateistan Cambodia. She had also come from a difficult start in life and through Tin, Sophea started to see that things could be different.

“I want to learn from Tin in order to help me grow. Tin helps change my behavior and build my confidence.”

In 2017, Sophea started volunteering at Auscam (a partner organization which helps vulnerable girls) and also become a part-time educator at Skateistan Cambodia. She teaches and plans lessons and she does a lot of outreach, helping disadvantaged kids to get an education at Skateistan. Since then she has also graduated from Grade 12 and now has a bright future ahead of her.

“I first started from nothing and I did not do anything but Skateistan helped me build life skills and my own education.”

Suyeng, Skateistan’s part-time educator, has noticed significant changes in the girl who used to annoy her during the last four years.

“She is very patient, very supportive and very confident in herself, and I am so proud to have Sophea as a best friend.”

Sophea is now working very closely with other educators at the skatepark, helping children to succeed as she has done.

“I want to become a social worker because I want to help society, I love helping kids get more education in order to have a bright future."

Sophea

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It's Her Turn

jess — Tue, 16 Jun 2020 14:41:42 +0000

It's Her Turn jess Tue, 06/16/2020 - 16:41

Sun, 06/21/2020 - 12:00

Our new campaign focuses on girls' empowerment at Skateistan and the importance of women and girls supporting each other. Donate today!

It's Her Turn

That's about to change. Now It's Her Turn.

As of today we have launched a new campaign called It’s Her Turn which highlights and celebrates the way that girls are encouraged and supported at Skateistan.

From day one, it's been our priority to include and encourage girls. Through skateboarding and creative education, girls at Skateistan find a way to explore their interests, develop their skills and defy society's expectations. We encourage girls to grow within our programs, so that as they get older, they can help younger girls to follow in their footsteps. Our female staff and students inspire others and their wider communities.

We are proud that all of our Skate Schools are currently managed by women. Around half our students are girls and we strive every day to keep this at 50% or even higher. More than half of our staff worldwide are women and we believe that this is central to proving to girls that they can be whatever they dream of being.

This campaign aims to raise $75,000 by the end of July so that we can continue to reach girls, provide them with a safe space and role models to inspire them.

Throughout the campaign, we’ll be sharing the stories of some of our staff and students who have been inspired by women at Skateistan and who, in turn, are supporting others. Stories like that of Sara, in Mazar-e-Sharif, who dreams of becoming a professional soccer player. She was inspired by her Coach and Educator, Mubaraka. And who inspired Mubaraka, back when she was a Skateistan student? Her Educator Zainab, who is now Country Manager for Skateistan in Afghanistan.

Help us to keep this chain going, so that women can inspire and support others. It’s Her Turn.

How can you help to support It’s Her Turn?

Donate

Donate today to show girls that they can be whatever they dream of being.

Share

Post about our campaign on your social media channels, share our posts and pass on the stories of amazing girls like Sara.

Fundraise

Start your own fundraiser for Skateistan on Facebook. It’s easy, quick and a perfect way to connect your friends and family with our vision. You can also turn an Instagram Live into a fundraiser - simply select ‘Fundraise’ and ‘Skateistan’ as your non-profit before you begin.

Our aim is to support girls to build a better future in which they can thrive.

It's her turn to try, her turn to grow. It's her turn to lead. Donate now.

*Sara’s name has been changed in accordance with Skateistan’s Child Protection Policy.

It's Sara's Turn

jess — Tue, 16 Jun 2020 12:42:18 +0000

It's Sara's Turn jess Tue, 06/16/2020 - 14:42

Sun, 06/21/2020 - 12:00

Sara spoke with Mubaraka, who wrote this story.

Meet Sara, who is 16 and lives in Mazar-e-Sharif, Afghanistan. She dreams of becoming a professional soccer player. But it was the inspiration of her coach that gave Sara to courage to dream.

My name is Sara* and I am 16 years old. It was almost a year and a half ago when I first heard about Skateistan, then after speaking with my parents I decided to join the Skate and Create program.

Before I came to Skateistan, I used to play soccer. In fact, I have been very interested in soccer since I was a child, and I always played with the ball I had. After coming to Skateistan, I realized that there is a girls' soccer team here where all the girls play together. I decided to join so I could play in an official team together with other girls. Playing on a team makes me feel good, and I'm really happy to have the opportunity to practice with other girls now.Before coming to Skateistan, I never thought about having a role model. I've always said to myself that I need to practice enough to become a professional soccer player so that other girls can choose me as their role model. But after coming to Skateistan, I changed my mind about having a role model for myself. Mubaraka is my coach as well as an educator at Skateistan. She motivates me to become a professional soccer player and always encourages me. In my family, I have an older brother who always supports me, he says:

“I stand like a mountain behind you and I will do whatever it takes to make your progress come true.”

I am really happy that both at home and in the team where I play soccer, there are people who can help and motivate me to achieve my dreams.

One day at the end of one of the competitions held on the occasion of International Women's Day, the coach of one of the teams reads the list of girls who made it to the Balkh Women Soccer Team. Suddenly, I heard my name on the list. Even though I had heard the news with my own ears, it was really hard for me to believe. Another group of girls always made their way to the Balkh Women Soccer Team, but this time I and my other friends were selected. And now we were going to go to Kabul province and participate in the provincial competitions. Although I didn't get the chance to play in all the matches and I was upset about that, I was happy too, because I was one of the girls who was able to have the opportunity to come to Kabul and watch the matches and other training sessions of the soccer girls. And these competitions made me more determined to achieve my dreams and goals.

After a few months of returning from the Kabul tournament, there was a match between the teams in Mazar-e Sharif. The Skateistan team managed to win third place and I won the title of best scorer in the whole competition! The efforts of our team and the hard work that our coach put in for us all made it possible for us to get a good result. It would never have been possible to achieve this success alone, the efforts and motivation that Mubaraka (our coach) gives us make us more successful as a team. I can clearly say that my coach has always motivated me and so have other members of the team.

I wish to become a professional soccer player in the future who can participate in international competitions. And besides, I want to be a doctor so that I can serve my people and my country.

“Sara has been interested in soccer since she was a child. Before going to Skateistan, she did not have good social interactions and always argued with her siblings, but since she went to Skateistan, she has undergone many changes. And that's probably why she can connect with different people there. I'm really happy that she has the opportunity to play sports with other girls. The support and encouragement of Sara's teachers in Skateistan has made her work harder to achieve her goals. In essence, the encouragement and motivation you give to all children can make a big difference in the lives of many children.

I wish that Sara will achieve all her dreams in life. As her mother, I always try to support her on the way to her dreams and do my best to make her the pinnacle of success in her life. And I call on all parents to help their daughters achieve their dreams and always support them, just as in most families only boys are supported, let's support our daughters and give them the right to live like human beings in society.”

Sara's Mother

Mubaraka’s side of the story

It was seven years ago when I joined Skateistan as a student. I was in a Skate & Create class led by Zainab, who is now Afghanistan Country Manager. She always encouraged me to skate.

When it comes to getting inspiration, actually it doesn’t matter that someone inspires and motivates you just one specific thing. When someone inspires you it affects all aspects of your life. It was like this for me, when Zainab encouraged me to skate, it completely affected my whole life. I didn’t have a professional coach when I started to play soccer, I always watched videos and then tried to work on it practically. But I always remembered Zainab’s words that if you want to be a successful person, you should be patient, motivated and diligent in all the situations that you are in. It’s the only way that can help you.

When Sara joined the soccer team, it didn't look like she was really interested in playing soccer. Or maybe she was waiting for someone to come over and inspire her. But after a few weeks I saw that she plays very powerfully. So I decided to try to speak with her and encourage her, just like Zainab encouraged me.

As a coach, I think it’s really important to work with students mentally first. Then you can move on to their physical ability in the sport. Before and after each session I always talk to students about the things that can be inspiring and motivating to them. And it was the same for Sara.

I gave her a chance to play in a soccer game, and it was the start. Since she joined, we always get new starters to play in a game straight away. Because we want them all to see the game and know how they play a part.

Sara’s an inspirational player - she has a different power and motivation from other girls. It was her motivation and the way she plays soccer that meant she was selected from a big group of girls to participate in the provincial soccer game.

I am completely sure that she will be able to make a bright future for herself. And she will be able to play in international games. I also hope that other girls like her will be able to follow her example, recognize their powers and abilities to make a brighter future for themselves. I will always try my best to inspire and motivate girls so they can build their dreams.

Mubaraka, Sara's Educator and Soccer Coach

Skateistan is aiming to raise $75,000 by the end of July so that we can provide more spaces where girls like Sara are supported, encouraged and celebrated. Donate today to show girls that they can be whatever they dream of being. It's Her Turn.

If you want more updates like this, sign up for our monthly newsletter!

*Sara's name has been changed in accordance with Skateistan's Child Protection Policy.