School is in session at Skateistan! Classes are broken up into groups that alternate daily between male and female students. Programming is divided equally between time in class and instruction in the skate park. Classes are participatory lessons that focus on teamwork, peace building, safety, English language, and more. Lectures are always taught by both a foreign and local teacher.

Skateistan’s first international volunteers arrived in Kabul early November. Sophie Friedel, from Germany, is a professional mountain boarder who will focus on working with our female students. She will be volunteering with Skateistan for a period of six months. US citizen Richard Mendez has also arrived and will be assisting Skateistan for one month.

Young Strider saw a piece about Skateistan on CNN and was immediately fascinated “I did not know that kids like me skated in Afghanistan”. Driven by a wish to help these kids, he decided to raise money by running a lemonade stand outside his house. He discussed this idea with his parents and they encouraged him to put his idea to work. Strider set up his stand during Labour Day. He attached some information about Skateistan which explained to passers by what he was doing and at the end of the day he had raised a very respectable $18.50 from selling the lemonade.