Skating towards a brighter future
If you grow up in a place plagued by crime and unemployment, like the inner city of Johannesburg, you might think your fate is already mapped out for you. But, a skateboarding crew is aiming to change all that.
Ayanda Mnyandu wants to change the way young people in his neighborhood think about themselves – by introducing them to skateboarding.
Since the beginning of the year he has been the operation manager for Skateistan – an international skateboarding NGO.
Besides entertaining children and teenagers and keeping them off the streets, the free skateboarding lessons organized by Skateistan motivate the local youth and help boost their self-confidence.
DW’s Gaia Manco went to meet Ayanda at the Troyeville skate park in Johannesburg, to discover what skateboarding is able to teach about life in a challenging environment.
Listen to the report by Gaia Manco in Johannesburg, South Africa:
