Nepal is a historically rich and beautiful country in South-Asia and has been developing and modernizing fast with the goal of graduating from United Nation's ‘Least Developing Countries’ category by 2022. In 2015, Nepal was hit with a devastating earthquake of a 7.8 magnitude, leaving many parts of the country in ruins. Bringing new social infrastructure to Nepal is another crucial step towards to the country’s rebuilding and development. We want to play a part in this progress with the newest skate-aid Skatepark and sports-education-program.

After a few years of supporting our local partner ‘Yuwa for Change’ with skateboard hardware, we are happy that we can take this cooperation one step further. Together we will create “skate-aid Nepal” and start our new project in the city of Butwal, Nepal. We want to build a skate park in order to empower the kids in Nepal through our pedagogically supported skateboard workshops. Among other things, they learn to get up again and after falling and so they can develop into strong personalities. It will be also a place to be proud of, a community hub and positive environment where skateboarding magic can flourish!

2022 we celebrated the opening of our newest skate-aid skate park in Butwal/Nepal. With countless kids, our volunteers, Titus, our architect Ralf and the whole team. Among others, Titus Dittmann, Maik Giersch, Tobias Egelkamp, Jagrit Pahadi, Province Govenor Mr. Amik Serchan, Vice Mayor Mrs. Jageshowri Chaudaury Tillotama, Municipality Mayor Mr. Basudev Ghimire and Province Minister Mr. Lila Giri were present.

Seen from above, the skate park has the shape of our logo and is multifunctional.

Until October, 234 workshops have been carried out benefiting a total of 2007 kids and teenagers, corresponding to a total of 38% female participation.The skate park has been very well received, extensively used and has also become a meeting place for skateboarders from around the world in a very short time. It’s a skate park, a playground, a place of culture and in particular a safe place for the kids who want one thing above all: Skateboarding!

A huge thank you to all helpers, donors, the team of skate-aid Nepal, the construction team and all supporters who made this great project possible. 

In total, over 30 volunteers, guided by our project manager Gabu, spent about 4 months building the skate park. Following the principle of a participatory construction site, many of the local volunteers worked with concrete for the first time and learned a lot in the process.

UPDATE

In May, we paid a working visit to our project in Butwal, Nepal. The journey alone was an adventure in itself. After a 6-hour flight to Doha/Qatar, we were able to gain a small but very interesting insight into Arab culture during an 8-hour stopover there. Then we went on to Kathmandu, where we were warmly welcomed by Jagrid and his skate-aid Nepal crew. We went by cab from the airport to our hotel in the center of the megacity. Non-stop incredible and hair-raising traffic situations were breathtaking. You can’t remotely imagine what it feels like if you have not experienced it yourself. The hotel situation was also "interesting", but it definitely had its own charm. After an exciting walk around town and an equally exciting first approach to traditional culinary delights, we went to bed late, falling asleep before our heads hit the pillow. The next day we continued to Butwal, with not only the spectacular cab ride to the airport providing adrenaline rushes again, but also the propeller plane that awaited us at the airfield. Anyway, Butwal was reached safely and in the afternoon a visit to the "skate-aid hostel" and the skate park was already on the agenda. The volunteers are staying in the hostel, which is located within sight of the skate park, as well as some local kids, who, like the talented Pappu, also go to school from there and can be found in the skate park every day. The multi-story house is also the central meeting point of the project. Here they chill, learn and cook together, as well as discuss the latest tricks they've learned. When the biggest midday heat is over, it's time for the workshops at the skate park, which are attended by more than 30 kids every day. But the park is not only a skate park, it is also a playground, place of culture and especially a safe place for the children and young people, where they can freely develop self-determined. Of course, there were also discussions about planned future projects and expansions. There’s a lot more to come in Nepal!

NEPAL LIBRARY PROJECT

It's incredible to think that it has been a year and a half since we first realized our dream of building a skate park in Butwal, Nepal. The joy and sense of accomplishment that this project brought were immeasurable. Now, we're thrilled to announce the start of our next venture: the construction of a “library” next to the skate park for the year 2024. Plans are already in motion for what we fondly call the "skateboarding village." Our motivation is clear: we aim to bridge this educational gap and create opportunities for these underprivileged children. Our new library construction project is the first significant step towards achieving that goal. We envision this library as a place where these kids can connect with the world of learning. So, here's where you come in. Whether you can contribute a little or a lot, every amount counts and every gesture of kindness brings us one step closer to transforming lives in Butwal. Let's make 2024 the year when dreams become a reality and a skate park and library lay the foundation for a brighter tomorrow.