Molly and Fox 2014 February | Page 34

Skateistan “A skateboard park and school surrounded by war makes perfect sense in a senseless world, doesn’t it?” Craig Stecyk III Most of us, thankfully, will never know what it is like to grow up in the middle of a war zone, let alone the challenges that come with being a girl in a country like Afganistan. But thanks to the passion of Australian skateboarder Oliver Percovich, founder of Skateistan, these girls have access to new opportunities that were once only available for boys. Until 2001 and the collapse of Taiban rule, women were confined to their homes, unable to participate in public sport and schools for girls was banned. While they have come a long way, sporting opportunities for girls is still very limited. According to Oliver, the fact that the kids in these communities have tak