Skate Mission: Africa
You don't hear too much about skateboarding in the poor or rural areas of Africa, but just like everywhere else on the planet, skaters are there! Ugandan Jackson Mubiru and South African Shael Swart are shredders who with a little help of their friends, founded the Uganda Skateboarder's Union and set out to build Uganda's first skate park in Kitintale, a working class suburb of Kampala with extremely limited resources. How limited? Not only have they built the park by hand, but when they created the first mini-ramp of the skate park, they had only 2 skateboards (both donated) to share among all the future shredders. They were skating with bare feet and using banana leaves tied around their knees and elbows for pads. Two years later, a generous donation from Tony Hawk's Foundation has given the kids much needed gear, boards and equipment.Next month the Christian Skaters organization is sending a team over to Africa . Their first stop will be Uganda and the USkU. They do not promote their religion but share their love of Christ in what they do and how they live. They also plan on dropping off more decks to help them. After that they plan to stop at Nairobi. Nairobi had a hard year in 2007 and one of the skaters there lost his entire family to the civil war that broke out after an election was rigged. Edwin has a heart to spend time with these kids, teach them to skate. They hope to help build ramps and drop off supplies so this local can reach the youth and meet them where they are and pour into their lives.
They've already raised $5000, but they need another $1500 to pay for the plane tickets. If you'd like to support this team, donate through Paypal. Small donations, donations of any size, are helpful. You can also donate to USkU directly as well. If you know of any other organizations out there helping out skaters like this, post a comment below and let us all know!
Comments
this is really cool. hell yeah tony hawk and the rest of you guys. get rad on africa.
I think romanian street children need skateboards too. Think about how good romanians are at gymnastics…they would rule the skateboard. I dream of going to romania and making a romanian street kid skate team to take over the industry while eating mici and getting rad all over the universe. Then they wouldn’t sniff paint all the time…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BZtWPgSPoHc
these kids are all over bucharest, it is sad.
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My son and I are headed to Congo in Jan. on a missions trip. He’s a hardcore skater. He’ll take his board. I’m thinking they never even seen a board, much less any tricks. I’m sure there are no rules against skating in public places.
That’s a good project happening here in Africa, can’t explain how overwhelmed us guys are, congs!
I can’t wait for you guyz to come to Nairobi and have a blast with the diff. skating groups here.
Hello I work with a skate ministry in the US I read that you guys are doing a mission trip we are hoping to get the kids on one ever year. Is this something we could join with you and possible come and help you guys out with whatever over there.
I met a couple people from the Bridge To Skate Organization, they build parks in much needed areas world-wide, I believe. I know they’re building one in Honduras now. http://www.bridgetoskate.org is their website… seems pretty cool, not religious though!