About Us

What We Do

Skateistan is Afghanistan’s (and the world’s) first co-educational skateboarding school. The school engages growing numbers of urban and internally-displaced youth in Afghanistan through skateboarding, and provides them with new opportunities in cross-cultural interaction, education, and personal empowerment programs. The students are selected from all of Afghanistan’s diverse ethnic and socioeconomic backgrounds. They will develop skills in skateboarding, skateboarding instruction, healthy habits, civic responsibility, information technology, the arts, and languages. The students themselves decide what they want to learn; we connect them with teachers who will enable them to develop the skills that they consider important. Since Skateistan has been active in Kabul, we’ve seen that Afghan youth of all ethnicities, genders, and socioeconomic backgrounds love to skateboard. Skateistan brings them together, equipping young men and women to lead their communities toward social change and development.

Who We Are

Team Afghanistan

Oliver Percovich Director Oliver Percovich first skated in an empty pool at the age of six, while growing up in Papua New Guinea. In 1995 he competed in the Mystic Cup, an international skateboarding contest in Prague. He has worked at the Center for Risk and Community Safety on emergency management projects for various Australian government departments. He came to Afghanistan in February 2007, bringing his skateboards with him. Oliver can be contacted at oliver@skateistan.org or +93 796 571 356

Max Henninger Media and Communication Max has been working for three years in Afghanistan as a public relations advisor in international development. As graduated journalist who specialized in public relations for non profit organizations, his focus is now linking Skateistan to a world-wide audience. Max has been skating for over 15 years. Max can be contacted at max@skateistan.org or +93 (0) 707 646 598 (AFG), +49 (0) 151 235 395 75 (GER)

Shams Razi Skate Park Manager Shams is one of the original Afghan skater’s that started skateboarding last year. He graduated from the Science Faculty at Kabul University in 2007 and since then worked for a foreign-owned logistics company until he joined Skateistan in June 2008. Shams handles all accounting and logistics requirements for Skateistan. Shams is based in Kabul and can be contacted at shams@skateistan.org or +93 700 943 377

Jake Simkin Photographer and Teacher Jake Simkin has been working as a photojournalist and news cameraman in developing countries and war zones for over eight years. Over the course, he has worked with youth especially in teaching photography and journalism in Somalia, Pakistan, Indonesia, and Afghanistan. He has been with the Skateistan crew for over a year and is currently working on developing the Skateistan magazine with the students. Jake is based in Kabul and can be contacted at jake@skateistan.org or +93 776 435 415

Fraidoon Ilham Media and Liaison Officer Fraidoon Ilham, who is working as Media Analyst for a project of the UNDP, has been involved in several social projects. He assisted the Kids Literature Development Foundation, Musawar, Afghan Women Literary Union, Mirman and several other organizations. He formally joined Skateistan in July 2009 as Media and Liaison Officer for Afghan Media and assists in legal issues. Fraidoon is based in Kabul and can be contacted at fraidoonilham@gmail.com or +93 700 502409

Mirwais Mohsen Communications Officer During the civil war in Afghanistan and until 2006, Mirwais Mohsen lived as an Afghan refugee in Pakistan. There he studied completed computer sciences and developed his skills in English, Dari, Pashto and Urdu. When he returned to Afghanistan Mirwais worked as an IT officer/manager for ASAP, Aina Media and Culture Centre, Aina Photo Agency and Kabul Weekly newspaper. Mirwais is based in Kabul and can be contacted at mirwais.mohsen@skateistan.org or +93 786 766 512