On Monday it was time: The skate park in Qudsaya near Damascus, which was built by skate-aid in cooperation with the SOS Children's Villages, was officially opened.
skate-aid and SOS Children's Villages worldwide are using the educational power of skateboarding in worldwide skate park projects to support kids in their personality development and to empower them. After successful joint projects in Kigali (Rwanda) and Bethlehem (Palestine), another lighthouse project was opened with this first skate park in Syria.
"Especially in civil war-stricken Syria, skateboarding can help young people to regain their courage, self-esteem and perspective and to overcome the traumatic experiences of violence and escape," explains Dittmann the intention behind the project. Both organizations planned it for two years and finally realized it in spring of 2019. "Our approaches to provide support and security to traumatized kids and teenagers complement each other very well," says Dr. Wilfried Vyslozil, CEO of SOS Children's Villages worldwide. "The joint project will hopefully find many imitators in Syria."
The new skate park in Qudsaya, on the outskirts of Damascus, is an open place of integration and encounter that will hopefully bring together all population groups and does some peace work in this country.

Our skate park in Windhoek / Namibia, which was opened as the first inclusive skate park at the beginning of last year, has been updated: the bowl area has been equipped with a huge sun sail, so that the kids are better protected from the sun while skating.
The skate park was created at the end of 2017 through skate-aid's collaboration with “The Global Experience” and the UNESCO Schools Schillergymnasium and Primus School at the National Institute for Special Education (NISE).

Yesterday was the kick off of our skate-aid@school campaign, where we’ll visit 10 schools in the Münsterland for one week with our mobile miniramp. Up to 20 kids can participate in our skateboard workshop, where we explain the basics of skateboarding to the kids. In this educational program, students (and teachers too) can learn what skateboarding is all about and what mechanisms skateboarding can set in motion. First stop was the Wilhelm-Hittorf-Gymnasium in Münster.
At the end of the workshop, the schools will receive 10 sets consisting of skateboard/helmet/safety-gear for further use.

Once again, skate-aid and SOS Children’s Villages cooperate to build a skate park and start on October 17, 2018 a crowdfunding campaign on startnext.com for that reason. The skate park will be built in spring 2019 near Damascus if the funding is successful. Help us to give back the Syrian kids a little bit of their high spirits and easiness!

Once again, skate-aid and SOS Children’s Villages cooperate to build a skate park and start on October 17, 2018 a crowdfunding campaign on startnext.com for that reason. The skate park will be built in spring 2019 near Damascus if the funding is successful. Help us to give back the Syrian kids a little bit of their high spirits and easiness!

Once again, skate-aid and SOS Children’s Villages cooperate to build a skate park and start on October 17, 2018 a crowdfunding campaign on startnext.com for that reason. The skate park will be built in spring 2019 near Damascus if the funding is successful. Help us to give back the Syrian kids a little bit of their high spirits and easiness!

Once again, skate-aid and SOS Children’s Villages cooperate to build a skate park and start on October 17, 2018 a crowdfunding campaign on startnext.com for that reason. The skate park will be built in spring 2019 near Damascus if the funding is successful. Help us to give back the Syrian kids a little bit of their high spirits and easiness!

"Our greatest glory is not to never fall, but to get up every time." -Nelson Mandela-
Thank You, Merci Beaucoup, Muchas Gracias...
The entire skate-aid team would like to thank you very much for the great support, your great commitment and the awesome cooperation.
We wish you a merry and peaceful Christmas and a healthy and successful Happy New Year.

After 2 weeks, the exchange program between Münster's and Windhoek's schools is already over. In addition to many students, our project manager in Namiba, Adolf Kinda, was also present. New ideas were discussed and plans for 2019 were finalized. 2018 was great...2019 will be even better.