Newsletter #4 | November 2012

Welcome to the fourth issue of our quarterly newsletter! As always, it's been a crazy couple of months filled with excitement, skateboards, and smiles.

Throughout September, Skateistan's Kabul students created artwork and attended peace workshops in preparation for a festival to commemorate the UN’s International Day of Peace. On September 22nd Skateistan hosted over 400 students, their families, friends, and staff from a variety of Olympic federations and creative organizations, to celebrate the power of sport to unite communities, cultures and people.

On October 11th, two Skateistan staff members, Mariam Shareefy (24) and Madina Saidy (14) gave groundbreaking speeches on the theme of Conflict and Culture at the very first TEDxKabul event. Ten other Skateistan students (5 girls, 5 boys) did a skateboard demo at the event. In October we also were proud to see Benafsha Tasmim, our Education Coordinator since 2010, get a visa to study in the USA. She was granted a Strongheart Fellowship, which will bring her one step closer to her dream of changing the lives of Afghan children and women traumatized by conflict.

During a month-long visit to Kabul by Skateistan's art direction team, Alexandra Bald and Ana Lessing, they taught an advanced photography class to staff and students, working with them to create an Afghan adaptation in photos of the Brothers Grimm fairy tale “The Seven Ravens.”

Skateistan Cambodia has also had some big changes during the past few months. In September we completed construction of our own skatepark for Khmer youth, and opened our doors to the neighbourhood and several partner NGOs. We also partnered with  the NGO Turning Tables to train three of our staff members as DJ instructors who are now teaching Skateistan Cambodia students the art of mixing. In this new facility we are able to host over 200 students each week for DJ classes, art lessons, breakdancing, Cambodian martial arts, and of course, skateboarding. Thank you to the students, partner NGOs, staff, volunteers, skate sponsors and donors who have helped us come this far. Check out the Cambodia website for more photos and news.

On September 8th, 2012, the lives of a number of young Afghans were lost in Kabul during a tragic and unexpected attack near a military zone frequented by streetworking children. Our team in Kabul and worldwide were extremely sad to learn that Skateistan had lost four well-loved students, volunteers and youth leaders between the ages of 8 and 17.

In the wake of their deaths the entire Skateistan community of supporters came together to celebrate the lives of Khorshid, Mohammad Eeza, Nawab and Parwana. The tragedy made it clear that Skateistan is not only a place of education and fun, but also a place of safety and a bright light in the lives of Kabul's young streetworking girls and boys.

To read the memories shared by Skateistan students and see memorial photos please visit: http://www.skateistan.org/blog/tragic-loss

Tamana
Student and Skate Teacher
Age: 11

Tamana, our newest female skate instructor in Kabul, first came to Skateistan in 2010 for Go Skateboarding Day. After over two years of skating she now channels her infinite energy and spirit to guide the young girl skaters of Afghanistan in the art of skateboarding and life.

In 2010 Tamana was interviewed for the Skateistan book, which was published in summer 2012. Here’s an excerpt from her story:

“Skateboarding is a very good thing, and a new thing, just like helicopters that fly above Kabul. The helicopters are private. They are very lucky up there. I like seeing them fly around. Up there, in the air, they can’t see us anymore. They can fly wherever they want and land wherever they want. I’d like to fly in a plane one day. My father has flown.” –  from Skateistan: A Tale of Skateboarding in Afghanistan. Our book contains much more of Tamana’s great wisdom alongside photos, Skateistan’s history and other stories from the Afghan youth and staff.

Last week, we sat down for another chat with Tamana to ask her some more about Skateistan and her thoughts:

What is your favorite skateboard trick?
My favorite skateboard trick is Ollie.

Can you tell us about something you are proud of?
I am proud to be an honest and brave Afghan girl.

In the Skateistan book, I have read that you would rather not marry. Can you explain why that is?
First I want to get an education, achieve my life goals, become a doctor and serve my people. Then I will get married.

How often do you come to Skateistan?
At first I was coming to Skateistan once a week as a student. But now I’m helping as a skate instructor and come daily.

Some people think of skateboarding as a sport only for boys. What do you think?
In my opinion sport is for every human being not only for males.

So when a boy can skate why can’t a girl? Do you think you will still be skateboarding when you are older? Would you allow your daughters to do it?
Of course, yes ­– everyone needs exercise. And skating is my favorite sport so I will continue it and will allow my daughters to skate.

Do you do any activities other than skateboarding at Skateistan? What do you like best?
I play other sports like football, basketball and volleyball but skating is my favorite one.

Tamana also took part in TEDxKabul on Oct.11, skating in a demo with nine other youths from Skateistan.

Sumnang & Kankerout
Ages 9 & 12

This week we caught up with two of our students who started skating a couple of months before the new Skateistan Cambodia park opened, when we were running outdoor sessions in front of our office.  We asked them about skating, what else they do for fun, and what their future plans are.

Twelve-year-old Kankerout came to the city from Kampung Chinan province six years ago, and Sumnang, age 9, moved to Phnom Penh from Vietnam when he was just a year old. The two live on the same block and got to know each other by playing outside together. Both started skating about three months ago and say they were drawn to it because it was strange and exciting, and looked a little scary.

Sumnang says when he skates he’s never afraid and always feels happy. He says he was surprised when he saw the new park because there are large ramps, so he can go fast and try new tricks. When he’s not skating he also enjoys drawing and painting, and is planning to become a police officer when he grows up.

When asked what her favourite thing is about skating, Kankerout says simply that it makes her feel happy, and she also admits she enjoys wearing the skate shoes. She hasn’t been to the new park yet, as her parents prefer her not to go too far from her house, but hopes to keep skating so she can one day become a skateboarding teacher for other kids.

With more students signing up for classes each week, these two friends can feel proud to be some of Phnom Penh’s first skateboarders!

Kristoffer Nilaus Tarp
US Board President
New York

Kristoffer is currently the president of Skateistan's board of directors for the 501(c)(3) Skateistan US charity in the United States. He is one of Skateistan`s more veteran volunteers, as he started to support Skateistan in 2008, before there was an indoor facility. His hard work in Denmark actually helped to build the first Skatepark in Kabul. Aside from running the first incredibly successful fundraiser in Copenhagen, which raised approximately 60,000 USD, inspiring a whole new group of volunteers, and continuing to give his time to Skateistan from the US where he now resides, Kristoffer works for the United Nations, has two small children, and is an avid music lover. He took the time to answer some questions about what it is like to volunteer for Skateistan, and here’s what he had to say:

How did you first become involved with Skateistan?
I met Oliver in 2008 in Kabul where I worked for the European Union. I came out to skate with the kids before Skateistan had any indoor space. I immediately realised that Skateistan had found a niche in Afghanistan – to provide kids and youth with a place where they could play and relax and challenge themselves in peaceful ways. These kids will be faced with the huge responsibility of running the country a decade or two from now and I believe that Skateistan helps them prepare for this. At my farewell party I collected money for Skateistan in an old hat. That brought in enough funds to run the generators for a month or two. That made me realize that I could probably do more once back in Denmark.

You live in New York, but you`re originally from Denmark. Can you say a bit more about how you ended up in the US, and why you've continued to support Skateistan from another continent?
I work for the United Nations Peacebuilding Support Office in New York. I work with a number of, primarily African, post-conflict countries. The headquarters are here but I travel a lot to the countries we work with. The US Board in the US was quite new when I arrived so I thought I could help by sharing some of my experiences from Denmark.

What do you like to do in your free time?
I have two small kids age 7 months and almost 4 years. The available free time is a lot less with kids but I do like to go to as many concerts as I possibly can in New York which has the most amazing music scene. I also read a lot and am hooked on a few excellent TV series. 

You've done many things for Skateistan, and you've been around since Skateistan was just getting started. What do you think is your best memory, or biggest success as a volunteer?
I have generally been impressed by the capacity and willingness of the skate community to get involved and activate an impressive network of resource people – artists, musicians, chefs, skatepark owners etc.- many themselves with a background in the skate community to help Skateistan do fundraising and get exposure.

You have inspired a lot of Skateistan supporters, especially with the first Skateistan Fundraiser you held in Copenhagen in 2009, which raised more than 60, 000 USD and helped build the first Skatepark. What was that event like and how did you pull it off?
I was just back from Afghanistan super energised and really just wanted to raise some funds for Skateistan ASAP. I also had a newborn baby and a new job but somehow managed to get the right people onboard and then just run with it. We had a skate competition with cash prizes from Eastpak which the winners donated to Skateistan, a communal kitchen, a lottery with sponsored goodies, bars, live music with bands and DJs until 4 in the morning and then we had an impressive art exhibit with heavy-hitting artists who had donated decorated skateboards to us. We later sold these through an online auction which brought in a lot of money. We also managed to get crazy media exposure around the event. The story of skateboarding in Afghanistan opens doors. 

Do you have any advice for other people who'd like to become volunteers in the US and around the world?
It’s important to accept that what you do is pro-bono. Skateistan cannot sustain a paid fundraising organisation and quite frankly I think a lot of the positive energy comes from volunteering. It’s also important to realise that things take time and require real commitment. A fundraising event must be well planned and executed to reach its fullest potential and that take a lot of time and energy. But seeing it all come together and being able to a big check to Skateistan and all the incredible people who make the organisation a reality on the ground is really worth it all.

"This book is an incredible documentation of Skateistan’s history as a revolutionary program that uses skateboarding as the ultimate tool for change, and showcases its vibrant and life-changing achievements in the midst of a scarred and war-torn country."
-Color Magazine 

Our 320 page, full-color coffee table book is now available in the US, the EU and Canada! "Skateistan: The Tale of  Skateboarding in Afghanistan" will also be for sale on Amazon UK and DE before the holiday season. Find out where to get your copy online or in stores here.

If you want to receive an email notification when the book is available in your country we encourage you to sign up on our site here!

On October 4th, professional cyclist Juliet Elliott and snowboarder Posy Dixon, hosted an 'I Heart Skateistan' event in East London at Macbeth on Hoxton Street. There was no cover charge, and the event included a BBQ, live bands, local dj’s, and a lot of really great prizes. 

Skateistan’s UK team was there to sell Skateistan merchandise, as well as to collect donations, in what was all in all was a very successful night raising £925.54 for Skateistan! Special thanks to Juliet, Posy, Orlando von Einsiedel, all the sponsors who donated prizes, VICE, the Skateistan UK team, and everyone who attended and made this great event possible.

Legendary pro skater John Cardiel even donated a board to the London fundraiser but due to shipping issues sent through an IOU instead!

Another Londoner, Jon Sheldon, raised more than his goal of 1500 EUR (reaching 2044 USD!) on Saturday, October 27th, by running the Snowdonia Marathon (Marathon Eryri) to benefit Skateistan. Jon ran an impressive 3:49, and together with running partner Mathew, placed 340th out of 2000 runners.

A big thank you to Jon for putting his knees on the line for Skateistan's kids, and a big thank you to everyone who supported Jon in his race! We wish Jon and Mathew a speedy recovery, and as Jon said in a post-race email, “What doesn’t kill you…you can do again next year!”

If you live in the Bay Area, be sure not to miss the Organized Disorder benefit screenings on Nov. 28 of “Skateistan: Four Wheels and a Board in Kabul” at the Roxie Theatre in San Francisco. The Benefit will include two special screenings of the full-length documentary, ʻSkateistan: Four Wheels and a Board in Kabulʼ. The screenings will take place at 8:00 pm and 10:15 pm. There will be a Q&A after the 8:00 pm screening, with filmmakers Rene Kock and Nadia Hennrich, as well as special guest, professional skateboarder Cairo Foster, who also appears in the film.

The event will be hosted by Chris Casey and Jeff Carlson (Captain) of “The Captain and Casey Show”, and there will be a raffle after each screening with prize packages including skateboards and other hard goods, skate shoes, skate clothing, artwork, Chrome Messenger bags, tattoo time with various local artists and more! Pre-sale tickets available through Brown Paper Tickets.

This December, Skateistan will hold its first ever fundraising drive. In the spirit of the holiday season, throughout one week we will ask Skateistan supporters around the world to help "Keep Skateistan Rolling" by giving the gift of education and skateboarding to Afghan and Cambodian children. Each day from the 3rd until the 7th of December, we will be giving an inside look at Skateistan`s operations with a series of video stories through the eyes of our girl skaters, and showing directly how your contribution to Skateistan makes a real difference in the lives of our students.

Additionally, during  the drive every donation to Skateistan of more than 10 USD will receive a printable, and customizable e-card that can be given as a gift to family, friends, and colleagues. For each donation of 20 USD or more, donors in Europe and North America will be entered into a draw for a limited edition Skateistan photo print.

Stay tuned for updates on our Facebook, Twitter, and website during the week December 3rd. If you'd like your holiday event to raise funds for our drive, please email info@skateistan.org.

New in the UK
Now it is even easier in the United Kingdom to hold a fundraiser, or to make a tax exempt and commissions free donation to Skateistan. If you live in the UK and you’d like to run a marathon, have donations instead of gifts at a holiday celebration, host an info session, or do just about anything else you can imagine to benefit Skateistan, email info@skateistan.org and sign your event up here.

Fallen footwear and Skateistan have joined together for the 2nd year in a row to release the 2012 edition of our co-branded Fallen x Skateistan skate shoe. This charity version of the Forte model is packed with design features specifically for skateboarding, now in a delightful army green. It's available now and a portion of each sale will go towards Skateistan. Find out more and where to buy it here.

Your monthly support makes you a partner in Skateistan’s work to empower youth and promote peace internationally. Monthly giving ensures that your donations make the maximum impact for Skateistan students.

In the US please visit our website to set up a monthly donation via Paypal.

In the EU please visit Betterplace, and choose the monthly option on the donation form.

Skateistan is always on the lookout for enthusiastic, passionate and qualified applicants to join the Skateistan team. Some of the current vacancies include:

• Project Volunteers for 2013 (Afghanistan/Cambodia)
• Fundraising volunteers (UK, US, Canada, Germany, Denmark)
• Treasurer (Skateistan US)

If you’d like to learn more about current openings at Skateistan, or for more information on how to apply, please visit our vacancies page. We look forward to seeing your application!

Skateistan celebrated Eid holiday in Kabul last month with some skating in the streets. Executive Director Oliver (center, striped hat) taught the kids some new moves and they were all smiles!

That's all for our November 2012 update. For frequent updates from day to day, be sure to follow Skateistan on Facebook or Twitter. Know of someone who'd like to receive this newsletter? Forward it on to them, send them the link to the web version or tell them to subscribe on our website!