The Uganda Skateboarding Union

How do you combat idleness and boredom among children? Although a relatable question that doesn’t seem so urgent to many us, these sorts of issues are persistent in countries like Uganda where there are few outlets for the youth to become active and entertained. While the idea to engage a younger segment of the population with skateboarding is not so novel, the context and process behind Uganda Skateboarding Union's approach is quite unique.

Sure, this organization does a lot of the things that other skate organizations set out to do – hosting competitions or bringing a sense of community – but what really compels us about this story is that you can see the mission of the union unfolding evidenced by the creativity and passion that the members display just to skate.

However, skating is just the hook. Engaging youth with this sport encourages them to shed negative habits and replace them with an international sport that allows them to relate to cultures that would before be foreign and misunderstood. While we don’t want to get too grandiose with our thinking, it’s pretty awesome how skateboarding can be used as a tool to connect cultures that are geographically disconnected. The result? The organization has been able to fund the development of their own skate park through donations and supporters.

Check out the photos below as well as a spotlight from LX-GOODS to see what’s going on over in Uganda, and check out ugandaskateboardunion.org to read more about their efforts.