While March 8 is recognized as International Women’s Day, the nonprofit organization Skateistan doesn’t limit itself to a single day to celebrate women. For 2020, the award-winning NGO highlights their Back-to-School program, providing girls like Laiqa* a chance to education in Afghanistan.
Photos by Skateistan
The Back-to-School program in Kabul and Mazar-e-Sharif offer free accelerated learning for children out of school in Afghanistan. By studying three hours a day, five days a week, they cover 1st to 3rd-grade material in 11 months.
This grants children a better chance to education, as an estimated 3.7 million Afghans youngsters aren’t in school, with over 60 percent being girls. Statistically, girls are more likely to miss out on their education due to cultural norms, safety concerns and poverty. Yet, Laiqa couldn’t shake off the dream of attending school.
“I am happy that finally I am going to formal school, I will be a formal student and I will wear a school uniform. That makes me proud because I will be shown as a schoolgirl,”
Laiqa, 11, has been living in poverty with her family in Kabul. While her brothers went to school, she had to stay home with her mother. When she helped with the chores, Laiqa dreamt to be a schoolgirl as she saw them on their way to school.
She began coming to Skateistan’s just under a year ago and has made great progress since then. Laiqa will soon enroll for 4th grade in public school. When Zahra interviewed Laiqa’s mother, she explained that education is not a priority for girls within their culture.
“As we are not well off, we send our sons to school, but it was difficult to send my daughter too, as people in our society believe that we should invest in our sons’ lives, but not our daughters […]” Laiqa’s mother told Zhara.
Although Laiqa is graduating, she is not giving up on her love for skateboarding. She intends on continuing to participate in Skateistan programs after entering public school.
“I am happy that finally I am going to formal school, I will be a formal student and I will wear a school uniform. That makes me proud because I will be shown as a schoolgirl,” she said.
Laiqa is just one of the many girls in Skateistans’ educational programs. In the Back-to-School program itself, 47 percent are girls. 100 percent of the girls are from low-income backgrounds, including 40 percent who were displaced within the country.
Recently, a short documentary, Learning to Skateboard in a Warzone (If You’re a Girl), looking at Skateistan’s work has won both an Oscar and BAFTA. The documentary features four students and their educators in the Back-to-School program, following their journeys and friendships formed within the program.
Across its programs and locations, Skateistan has just under 2,400 students, around half of whom are girls. By providing a safe space, female educators as role models and teaching both girls and boys about the importance of equality, Skateistan is empowering the next generation of female leaders.
*Laiqa’s name was changed to be in accordance with Skateistan’s Child Protection Policy.
