Alumni

Skateistan Alumni: Shabnam's story

jess — Fri, 29 Jan 2021 14:20:00 +0000

Skateistan Alumni: Shabnam's story jess Fri, 01/29/2021 - 15:20

Fri, 01/29/2021 - 12:00

Shabnam spoke to Noorzai, who wrote her story

Shabnam started coming to Skateistan when she was 14 and quickly learned leadership skills to help others. Shabnam is now studying for an Engineering degree, determined to make her country a better place in the future.

My name is Shabnam and I am a student of engineering at Balkh University, Afghanistan.

In 2014 I started coming to Skateistan in Mazar-e-Sharif. I was 14 then and I started coming together with my sisters. There were some people in the community who were saying that girls should not be playing sports. But our family was supportive and we chose not to listen to those voices. I started doing sport here and I learned some very important things.

From the moment I set foot in Skateistan, my self-confidence started to increase. I didn’t know how to skateboard, but slowly I learned and this showed me that when I apply myself, I can achieve. I then started helping younger students and this was a really positive point in my life. Even though I was still young, I had this chance to teach students. This was a big responsibility, but the educators supported and trusted me. The other students really respected me and this helped me to see myself in a different light.

I would say that my life really changed when I came to Skateistan. I started to see that people would look up to me and that I could help others by showing a good example.

All the staff of Skateistan respected us as teachers. It was the first time I had seen a team of people really respecting each other. There was a feeling of unity and kindness between Skateistan members and I use what I learned there in my life now.

When I came to Skateistan I was able to help myself and my community. It was important to have a safe space where girls can play sports, because there is nothing else like that in our culture. Many girls are not allowed to play sports at all, so we grow up believing that it’s not possible. But when we have something like Skateistan, we can change our thoughts and we can help our community to see that this is good.

Something that was interesting about Skateistan to me was celebrating important days like International Women’s Day and Peace Day. It made me think about why these days are important to our society and how we can contribute to a fairer, more peaceful community.

When I was in Skateistan I had so many good times with my friends. We worked in a team with students and together we did sports and enjoyed everything. I really miss them now. Even though I am enjoying my studies, we don’t have anything like Skateistan for older people and I miss being there.

Now I am studying Engineering at university. The reason that I study this is because I want to build my country. War has had an awful effect on Afghanistan and I want to change my poor country through my lessons. I also want to show that women can be successful engineers. Skateistan showed me that girls can do anything they put their minds to and I want to prove this in my life and to my community. I want to be an example for other girls that they can choose their own path.

If you believe in the long-term impact of our work, please consider making a donation or becoming a Citizen of Skateistan today.

Yes

Skateistan Alumni: Hosai's story

jess — Tue, 15 Dec 2020 15:14:15 +0000

Skateistan Alumni: Hosai's story jess Tue, 12/15/2020 - 16:14

Fri, 01/01/2021 - 12:00

Hosai spoke to Fatima and Zahra

We are excited to share this story of a former student in Kabul. The Alumni Network is a new project, which connects our former students with each other, shares opportunities and celebrates their success.

Alumni
Kabul

In a busy waiting room in a Kabul hospital, Fatima hears her name being called. She follows the young nurse into a small room, ready to have her blood tested. She sees the nurse hesitate for a second as she looks from the name on the chart to the woman in front of her. “Fatima jan?” the nurse asks, using the term for respect and affection in Afghanistan. She meets the eyes of the older woman. “You were my teacher.”

Seven years ago, Hosai* walked through the doors of Skateistan in Kabul. She was unsure what to expect.

“I had never had the chance to go to school. I had two brothers and eight sisters and we did not have enough money for us all to go to school. I had never played any sports, and I had no idea what skateboarding was.”

Hosai

At the door, she was welcomed by Fatima, an educator at Skateistan Kabul who works closely with the community. Fatima focuses on bringing children who are out of school to Skateistan so they can attend the Back-to-School program and get a second chance at their education. A few weeks before, Fatima had been in Hosai’s neighborhood, conducting a survey of out-of-school children.

“I saw her in the street in an area of Kabul playing with other girls. She was wearing the traditional cultural clothes of her ethnicity, with a round and wide skirt. I talked to families and her mother asked me to please register her daughter at Skateistan.”

Fatima

Hosai was worried that the teachers would be cruel, but Fatima made her feel happy straight away. They looked around the Skate School and filed into the classroom - the first classroom that Hosai had ever been in.

“When she came to Skateistan, she was very shy and she was not able to talk to educators and her classmates, but after spending time with us, she became more social and self-confident.”

Fatima

Over the next eleven months, Hosai learned to read and write. Attending Skate School five days a week, she gradually built up both her skills and her confidence.

“I learned how to write and read in Back-to-School class. That time in my life helped me to be very good in my lessons at school and I have learned how to set goals for myself and how to behave in different places with different people.”

At the end of the program, Hosai and her friends graduated, having passed grade 3 of the Afghan curriculum. Fatima helped each one of them to enroll into public school. Hosai took what she had learned and built on this foundation, completing primary school and then graduating from high school. She still came to Skateistan each week, enjoying skateboarding and the creative education aspects of the Skate and Create program. She also took part in other sports, such as soccer and climbing, which she loved.

Hosai then started her training to be a nurse and midwife. She works and studies at the same time, continuing to build up her skills and expertise. A child who had never stepped inside a school until she was ten years old is now a qualified, independent woman who is building a future for herself.

“I became a nurse because it was my favorite field and also it helps me to help other people, especially women. The best thing about being a nurse is helping people and visiting a lot of different people.”

Hosai’s road has not been easy. For children from low-income backgrounds, there is often pressure to leave school early in order to work. But some of the lessons Hosai learned at Skateistan have stayed with her.

“There are challenges of course; working as a woman in Afghanistan is always difficult. I faced a lot of economical and social obstacles. But at the Skate School, I learned how to make decisions, be a leader for others and how to solve problems.”

Back in the hospital room, the two women share stories. Hosai asks about the team at Skateistan and is happy to know that many of the educators she remembers are still working there.

“When I saw Fatima in the hospital, I was very happy that after years I was able to see my teacher. I was so proud, as all my success was because of Skateistan and my teacher. I told her loudly, ‘Dear teacher thank you so much for your support. I am what I am now because of you.’ Everyone who was there heard it, but I was not ashamed but proud.”

“Sometimes I feel like if I didn’t come to Skateistan, I would not be able to be the person who I am now. I wouldn’t have been able to meet such wonderful people like Skateistan’s educators and my classmates. I would be a housewife and waiting for some man to marry me and support me economically and socially. But now I am independent and I have chosen my life partner myself. I am working in two provinces both as a nurse and a midwife and I am helping women, but without Skateistan I would not be able to do these things.”

Hosai

Skateistan's programs aim to have long-term impact in the lives of our students, helping them to better prepare for adulthood. If you'd like to support us to help young people build a better life for themselves, please consider making a donation today.

If you're a former student of Skateistan and you'd like to join the Alumni Network, please email alumni@skateistan.org.

*Hosai's name has been changed.

Yes

Skateistan Alumni: Ntlanzeko's story

jess — Wed, 07 Oct 2020 11:08:40 +0000

Skateistan Alumni: Ntlanzeko's story jess Wed, 10/07/2020 - 13:08

Tue, 10/27/2020 - 12:00

Ntlanzeko was interviewed by Vuyo

We are very excited to publish the first in a group of stories from Skateistan's Alumni Network. The Alumni Network is a new project, which connects our former students with each other, shares opportunities and celebrates their success.

This is Ntlanzeko's story.

I first came to Skateistan South Africa just over two years ago. I was close to finishing high school but I needed some help to make sure I could fulfil my potential. I attended programs for two years, two really good years.

Before I came to Skateistan, I can say that I was a really angry kid. I grew up in Soweto and later moved to the Central Business District when my parents separated. I went to live with my mother and I had so much anger towards my dad. I was also always angry at school. I felt like my teachers didn’t really want me to succeed; they made me feel like I was nothing, like I was worthless. I was in a bad place.

When I look back on that time now, I can see that a lot could have gone wrong for me. My anger issues were affecting me badly. I had stopped communicating with my mum and my sister and I had no-one else to turn to.

Then I came to Skateistan. I had moved to the CBD so I was close to the Skate School. Skateistan was about more than just learning to skate. Cynthia (an Educator) recognized that I was passionate about life sciences at school. I really wanted to pass this subject as it was my favourite subject. I attended homework help at the Skate School and Cynthia really helped me to focus on this.

Vuyo (Programs Officer at Skateistan South Africa) also really came through for me. Vuyo had sessions with me and those helped me alot. Those talks we used to have helped me to look inside myself and understand my feelings better. She encouraged me to work through my anger and to start communicating again with my mom and sister. I now have the best relationship with my mom and sister, we talk about everything now. I learned how to deal with anger, how to communicate and interact with people.I learned how to dream big and to overcome circumstances.

I left Skateistan last year, I passed matric (including life sciences) and I was 20 years old. I started looking for a job because I wanted to help my mother. I found a job at OR Tambo International Airport as a good wrapper. Honestly, it’s not really what I wanted to do but I really wanted to take responsibility and help my mom. But actually, after nine months, I can say that I really love my job. It turns out that I really enjoy helping people and I get a lot from interacting with others. At some point I’d like to become a psychologist or a lawyer but right now, I am happy to be doing a good job.

“Skateistan helped me a lot. Without going there, a lot could have gone wrong for me. I have made so many mistakes but Skateistan helped me and made me the calm person I am now who can communicate better. At work, there have been times when I have wanted to argue with a colleague, but I remember what was taught here and I know I can manage things better now.”

In the past, that would have been a major problem and the situation would have escalated. But because of what I learned at Skateistan, I can accept our differences and just move on. Skateistan helped me to be the calm person that I am now. Most importantly, my relationship with my mom and sister would not be this amazing. They trust me a lot; my sister can now talk to me about anything. It’s like I provide a kind of father figure for her. Skateistan really covered all areas of my life and helped me with it all, from passing my favourite subject, to understanding how to be a better son and brother.

If you're a former student of Skateistan and you'd like to join the Alumni Network, please email alumni@skateistan.org.

Yes