Voice 1
Welcome to Spotlight. I'm Adam Navis.
Voice 2
And I'm Ruby Jones. Spotlight uses a special English method of broadcasting. It is easier for people to understand, no matter where in the world they live.
Voice 1
One day, Oliver Percovich decided to ride on his skateboard. He put his board on the ground. He stood on it with one foot. He used his other foot to push the ground and move himself forward. The four wheels of the board rolled smoothly. Going down a hill he could just stand and ride along. However, he was soon surrounded by children. They wanted to know what he was doing. They had never seen a skateboard before. They wanted to try for themselves. It was the first time anyone had risked riding a skateboard on the streets of Kabul, Afghanistan.
Voice 2
Today's Spotlight is on Skateistan. Skateistan is the first skateboarding school in Afghanistan. A skateboard is a one metre wooden board with four wheels attached to the bottom. A person stands on top of the board and rides anywhere there is a smooth surface. Expert riders can do difficult tricks and jumps. Skateistan tries to teach the children of Afghanistan how to ride on skateboards. It also tries to present a positive image of Afghanistan to the world.
Voice 1
Many people know the country of Afghanistan because of the recent conflicts there. From nineteen seventy nine to nineteen eighty nine, Afghanistan was invaded by the former Soviet Union. The Soviet Union was driven out by a group of Afghans called the Taliban. Then, in two thousand one, an international army led by the United States overthrew the Taliban. Although many people disapproved of the Taliban's policies, many people have also been unhappy with the new government, which is supported by the United States.
Voice 2
This has lead to continuing conflict in Afghanistan. The United States and their allies continue to keep soldiers in the country. They are looking for Osama bin Laden, the leader of Al-Qaeda. Also, different groups of Afghans fight to lead the country. In major cities car bombs explode. Gun shots are common. Many people have been killed. And there have been more and more attacks against international aid workers. Often they are kidnapped as they walk the street.
Voice 1
Because of the fighting, most foreigners stay in guarded buildings. They drive around in four wheel drive vehicles with body guards. But the children of Afghanistan do not have these things. The fighting has greatly affected them. In the capital city of Kabul, many children take drugs. There are not many safe places to play. Many children do not know how to read. This is especially true for girls. Afghanistan is not an easy place to be a child.
Voice 2
Oliver Percovich came from Australia to Afghanistan because his girlfriend was doing research in the country. He liked to ride skateboards so much that he brought a few with him. He did not like how many foreigners did not mix with native people. So he decided to learn about the city of Kabul by riding around on a skateboard. He says:
Voice 3
"I found it strange that other foreigners did not get out of the four-wheel drive vehicles. After three weeks I was telling people who had been here for two years what the city was like."
Voice 1
As soon as he began to skateboard through the city, he was surrounded by children. They wondered what he was doing. He says,
Voice 3
"When you pull out a skateboard and you start skateboarding around, people are very interested. And then once they tried it, they really loved it."
Voice 1
This was the beginning of the skateboarding school. Oliver began to gather and teach children how to skateboard. The children were excited to have the chance to skate. Oliver was happy to teach them. Talking to the Guardian newspaper, Oliver says,
Voice 3
"They are naturally good at skateboarding. They have got more balance than Western children. Mainly because they are not frightened to fall and get up again."
Voice 2
Oliver saw that these children did not have the chance to ride a skateboard without his help. There is no place in Afghanistan that sold skateboards. Oliver wanted to teach more children how to skateboard. But he did not have many resources to keep Skateistan going. He says:
Voice 3
"I had about 1000 Euros and a few skateboards. And that was about it."
Voice 1
He spent most of 2007 trying to raise money for the skateboarding school. But he was not successful. He thought that Skateistan would have to end.
Voice 2
For the girls, this would be especially sad. Many of the girls' families believe that when a girl becomes a woman, her life must change. She must not play sports, or mix with boys. For these girls, Skateistan was a special chance to try a new sport, and be physically active.
Voice 1
Help came from the embassy from Norway. They gave a gift of 50,000 dollars. This permitted Oliver to buy safety equipment for the children. They bought helmets to protect their heads. Also, he bought protection for their wrists and knees. He also bought more skateboards. He even paid one of the better local skateboard riders to work as his assistant.
Voice 2
Oliver continues to raise money for the skateboarding school. Oliver is trying to create a warm place where children can skateboard in the winter. He would also have separate classes for girls and boys. Separate classes may even permit girls to ride their skateboards as they get older.
Voice 1
It is still dangerous for Oliver and Skateistan. In November of 2008, a car bomb exploded close to where they were riding skateboards. Foreign people are warned to stay away from public places. They are told to keep changing the path they drive to avoid being kidnapped. Yet, Oliver and his team gather in the same public place several times each week. He tries to balance his safety with offering Afghan children the chance to have a life filled with more than fighting. He hopes that after the program is operating, he can give the program's leadership to Afghan people. He talks about his hope this way:
Voice 3
"Afghan children are like children anywhere else in the world. They just have not been given the same chances. They need a positive environment to do positive things for Afghanistan and themselves."
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