Four young girls wear skating gear and smile in a park

About half of Skateistan’s students are girls.

Courtesy Skateistan

Article Options

Presentation View
Teaching Resources

Reading Level

Hope on Wheels

In a country torn apart by war, a unique school is giving kids hope for a brighter future.

March 1, 2021
By Rebecca Zissou

As You Read, Think About: What makes Skateistan different from most schools? 

Teens stand on top of a 6-foot-tall platform. They hold their skateboards, eagerly waiting their turn to fly down the ramp. Meanwhile, younger skaters carefully weave through orange traffic cones. All around them, the sound of laughter mixes with the rattle of skateboard wheels.  

This may seem like a scene from your local skate park. But it’s actually taking place at a unique school run by an organization called Skateistan. The school gives hundreds of students a safe place where they can play, learn, and just be kids. 

That’s especially important because they live in Kabul (KAH-buhl), the capital of Afghanistan. Kids in that nation in Central Asia have grown up surrounded by war.

Teens stand on top of a 6-foot-tall platform. They hold their skateboards and wait for their turn to fly down the ramp. Meanwhile, younger skaters weave through orange traffic cones. All around them, the sound of laughter mixes with the rattle of skateboard wheels.  

This may seem like a scene from your local skate park. But it’s actually taking place at a unique school. The school is run by an organization called Skateistan. It gives students a safe place to play, learn, and just be kids. 

That’s especially important because they live in Kabul (KAH-buhl), the capital of Afghanistan. Kids in that nation in Central Asia have grown up surrounded by war.

Life in a War Zone

Afghanistan has been plagued by violence for decades. In 1996, a terrorist group called the Taliban took control of the country. It imposed many strict laws and banned music, TV, and movies. It also took away many basic rights, especially from women and girls. Women weren’t allowed to work outside the home or show their faces in public. Girls older than 8 were forbidden to attend school.

In October 2001, the U.S. and its allies invaded Afghanistan (see sidebar, below). They forced the Taliban from power and helped set up a new government. Still, nearly 20 years later, the war continues as the Taliban fights to regain control. 

Afghanistan has been plagued by violence for decades. In 1996, a terrorist group called the Taliban took control of the country. It imposed many strict laws. The Taliban banned music, TV, and movies. It also took away many basic rights, especially from women and girls. Women weren’t allowed to work outside the home or show their faces in public. Girls older than 8 were forbidden to attend school.

In October 2001, the U.S. and its allies invaded Afghanistan (see sidebar, below). They forced the Taliban from power. They also helped set up a new government. Still, nearly 20 years later, the war continues as the Taliban fights to regain control. 

Omar Sobhani/Reuters

A U.S. Marine shakes hands with Afghan soldiers in 2017.

Skating School

In the middle of this war zone, Skateistan was born. It started with an Australian man named Oliver Percovich. In 2007, he moved to Kabul and brought his skateboards. Wherever he went, curious kids crowded around him. It turned out that they had never seen a skateboard before. That inspired Percovich to open the nation’s first skateboarding school.

Since the start of the war, life has slowly improved for many Afghans, including girls and women. But most girls still don’t have the same opportunities boys have. And girls are discouraged from playing sports.

At Skateistan, however, female students are free to skateboard, play soccer, and ride bikes. 

“Skateistan was like a dream for me,” says 12-year-old Laiqa.* 

*The students’ names have been changed to protect their privacy.

In the middle of this war zone, Skateistan was born. It started with an Australian man named Oliver Percovich. In 2007, he moved to Kabul. He brought his skateboards with him. Wherever he went, curious kids crowded around him. They had never seen a skateboard before. That inspired Percovich to open the nation’s first skateboarding school.

Since the start of the war, life has slowly improved for many Afghans, including girls and women. But most girls still don’t have the same opportunities boys have. And girls are discouraged from playing sports.

But Skateistan is different. Female students are free to skateboard, play soccer, and ride bikes there. 

“Skateistan was like a dream for me,” says 12-year-old Laiqa.* 

*The students’ names have been changed to protect their privacy.

Getting an Education

But there’s much more to Skateistan than just sports. Students can take classes in reading, writing, math, art, and other subjects. For many of them, including Laiqa, Skateistan is the first school they’ve ever attended. Unfortunately, that isn’t surprising. According to the United Nations, nearly half of all school-aged children in Afghanistan don’t have access to education. 

Today, Skateistan runs schools in three countries. At each school, the mission is the same: to empower kids to become leaders in their communities.

“I want to go to university and become a good teacher,” says Zarafshan, a 13-year-old student in Kabul. “My country needs good teachers more than anything else.” 

But there’s much more to Skateistan than just sports. Students can take classes too. They can choose from reading, writing, math, art, and other subjects. For many of them, including Laiqa, Skateistan is the first school they’ve ever attended. Unfortunately, that isn’t surprising. According to the United Nations, nearly half of all school-aged children in Afghanistan don’t have access to education. 

Today, Skateistan runs schools in three countries. At each school, the mission is the same. They want to empower kids to become leaders in their communities.

“I want to go to university and become a good teacher,” says Zarafshan, a 13-year-old student in Kabul. “My country needs good teachers more than anything else.” 

What You Need to Know About . . . The War in Afghanistan

  • The war is the longest in U.S. history. It began in response to the terrorist attacks on the U.S. on September 11, 2001. The planners of the attacks were hiding in Afghanistan, and the Taliban refused to give them up.
  • More than 2,200 U.S. troops and tens of thousands of Afghans have been killed in the war. About 2,500 U.S. service members are still serving in Afghanistan to train and support Afghan troops.
  • Last fall, the Taliban and the Afghan government met for the first time to begin working on a peace deal to end the fighting.
Jim McMahon (Mapman®)

What You Need to Know About . . . The War in Afghanistan

  • The war is the longest in U.S. history. It began in response to the terrorist attacks on the U.S. on September 11, 2001. The planners of the attacks were hiding in Afghanistan, and the Taliban refused to give them up.
  • More than 2,200 U.S. troops and tens of thousands of Afghans have been killed in the war. About 2,500 U.S. service members are still serving in Afghanistan to train and support Afghan troops.
  • Last fall, the Taliban and the Afghan government met for the first time to begin working on a peace deal to end the fighting.
Jim McMahon (Mapman®)

1. What was life in Afghanistan like once the Taliban took control?

2. What is Skateistan? How did it begin?

3. What is the purpose of the section “Getting an Education”?

1. What was life in Afghanistan like once the Taliban took control?

2. What is Skateistan? How did it begin?

3. What is the purpose of the section “Getting an Education”?

videos (1)
Skills Sheets (4)
Skills Sheets (4)
Skills Sheets (4)
Skills Sheets (4)
TEACHER SUPPORT (1)
Leveled Articles (1)
Text-to-Speech