Afghan women may not be able to ride bikes, but they can skateboard—and these girls could teach Tony Hawk a thing or two. Photographer Jessica Fulford-Dobson’s compelling new photo series is bringing global attention to Skateistan, a non-profit organization that combines Kabul, skateboarding, and education.
The program was founded by Oliver Percovich in 2007 and uses skateboarding as a tool to empower its students, while providing access to education for children from poor or misplaced families. Forty percent of its student body is girls, making it the largest female sporting organization in Afghanistan. The growing program is non-political and all about good vibes, inclusive of all ethnicities, religions, and social backgrounds, with a focus on girls and street-working children.
“Skate Girls of Kabul” gives a face to some of these girls, skateboards in hennaed hands, with the sweat of social change glistening on their brows. A future generation of active and conscious citizens, teachers, and leaders, with gnarly moves to boot? Yuhs please.
This photo of one of the students in a stunning blue headscarf won the second place Taylor Wessing Photography Prize. “One feels a sense of depth in her eyes, even though she is just 7 years of age,” Fulford-Dobson told HungerTV.
Photos via Jessica Fulford-Dobson
