Skateistan

Project completed

Skateistan offers quality educational, sport and recreational opportunities for the empowerment of Afghan children and youth, particularly girls and marginalized groups, with an aim to increase their confidence, abilities and involvement in their communities as well as to strengthen their social networks. It runs across two purpose-built project sites in Kabul and Mazar-e-Sharif.

Country/region Topic Period Budget
Afghanistan
Education
Primary education
Basic life skills
01.08.2017 - 31.12.2020
CHF  980’000
Background

Access to education is one of the key challenges in Afghanistan. Although considerable progress has been made, Afghanistan still has one of the lowest literacy rates in the world. An estimated 3.5 million children remain out of school (of which 75% are girls). While children and youth make up over two thirds of Afghanistan’s population, with almost 50% of Afghans under the age of 15, they are largely excluded from participation in the society. Children and youth are particularly affected by the difficult socio-economic conditions, widespread discrimination, particularly gender-related and the ongoing conflict. Over 80’000 children in Kabul alone are forced to support their families by working in the street or begging. Also, physical education is a low priority in schools and female students are often excluded from participation in these activities.

Objectives

Afghan children and youth of all backgrounds are empowered to reach their full potential.

Target groups

Afghan children and youth aged 5-17, including 50% girls. The target is to increase the number of active students to 1600 and to retain the 400 short-term participants annually.

Skateistan will focus its activities on girls, street-working children, internally displaced youth, the illiterate and disabled youth, but this does not mean that others are excluded.

Medium-term outcomes
  • Marginalized and out-of-school children and youth gain new skills and access to education and leadership opportunities.
  • National staff has an increased professional skill set to ensure high quality services for children.
Activities

Donors: Embassy of the United States of America in Afghanistan and Department for International Development and two private foundation partners (Brooks Foundation, Google)

Results

Expected results:  

  • Children gain academic skills, including literacy and numeracy, in line with government education standards
  • Children gain employment based life skills
  • National staffs are provided with relevant training and mentoring (internal and external)
  • Improved Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning system is implemented by trained national staff to allow tracking of indicators (both quantitative and qualitative)


Results from previous phases:  

Baselines (2016):

  • 1112 children are active members of Skateistan’s educational program.
  • 93 children complete the back to school program and 67 of them were referred to formal education.
  • 1030 children participate in the Skate and Create and Youth Leadership programs.
  • 15 community events planned and hosted by Youth Leadership participants.
  • 56% of active students are girls.


Directorate/federal office responsible SDC
Credit area Development cooperation
Project partners Contract partner
International or foreign NGO


Coordination with other projects and actors

Ministry of Education, Physical Education Department, Afghanistan National Olympics Committee, Governor of Balkh, Save the Children, UNICEF, and Public and Private Schools

Budget Current phase Swiss budget CHF    980’000 Swiss disbursement to date CHF    952’298
Project phases Phase 2 15.12.2020 - 31.03.2025   (Current phase)

Phase 1 01.08.2017 - 31.12.2020   (Completed)