Building a resilient skatepark in Gulu & Northern Uganda
Context
Between 2019 and 2020, almost 12.3 million people in Uganda were living below the poverty line (Bureau of Statistics, 2021).
The youth unemployment rate is 6.6% (World Bank, 2022). An analysis of the situation of young people in “employment” reveals that most of them work in the informal sector and have no social security. Some of them are entrepreneurs but in low profitable businesses (Challenge Fund For Youth Employment, 2019).
The project to build a skateboard area uses sport to empower young people and reduce their insecurity within the labour market.
Goals
- Improve the health and well-being of young people
- Improve young people’s education
- Provide young girls with building skills and a safe place to practice sport
- Create employment opportunities through skateboarding
- Reduce inequalities
- Shape a better city and strengthen communities
Activities
- Construction workshops: carpentry, masonry and concrete work carried out by the skateboarders to build the modules
- Construction workshop dedicated to girls: building a mini concrete ramp
- Repair workshops: young people will receive training and tools
Targeted impacts / Results
- Skateboarders learn new skills, can create their own modules and develop their creativity
- Children will get better results at school thanks to the impact of sport on concentration and cognitive skills
- Young people will be able to skateboard in a safe environment
Photo credit: The Uganda Skateboard Union