Surfing, skating, weaving: ways to empowerment and meaningful engagement

As beautiful and shocking as the 1985 National Geographic portrait of the Afghan Girl, photos of young Afghan girls skateboarding in Kabul published in My Modern Met article Skateboarding Empowers Afghan Girls by Giving Them Strength and Freedom illustrates the ‘wheels of change’ in motion.

Not-for-profit organisation Skateistan was founded to “empower young people, providing a foundation for change and educational opportunities” and works in Afghanistan (its HQ), Cambodia and South Africa. Their goal is especially ambitious in Afghanistan – and even more so in targeting young women - where women riding bikes is considered provocative and immoral.

Nonetheless, Skateistan reports that 40% of participants in Afghanistan are female. In a patriarchal, war-ravaged country, this must be a breath of fresh air for those who have the opportunity to get involved.  

Finding alternate channels to empower the future generations of countries exposed to war, conflict and poverty is critical in developing mechanisms for peace. Not only does the provision of skills – even as hobbies and not for employment – empower people with the ability and courage to pursue other avenues for success. It also opens up channels for peaceful and meaningful interaction.

Skateistan is not alone in this pursuit. In Papua New Guinea, the PNG surfing Association is teaching locals to make wooden surfboards, to develop the local surfing industry in the hands of local people. The idea came about after talking to village elders who told stories of children surfing crude boards made from 'splinters' from broken canoes and felled trees.

In East Timor, the East Timor Women’s Association (ETWA) supports local women’s (and men in some instances) involvement in the tradition of Tais weaving, as an opportunity to improve [local women’s] skills, extend their market reach to improve their access to things they can’t afford, maintain traditional practices and share the riches of their culture.

Finding the right avenue to peace and progress is a difficult task in itself. I think these kind of initiatives are paving the way.