#Skateistan10: Of the past: Merza Mohammadi, Educator at Skateistan Kabul
As Skateistan celebrates 10 years, founder Oliver Percovich caught up with some of the most influential individuals that helped Skateistan to grow from its early beginnings in Kabul, into an award-winning international organization. Merza was one of the first Afghans to join the skate sessions Oliver was running at the Mekroyan fountain in Afghanistan in 2008. When the first Skate School opened in Kabul shortly after, he was thrilled to give up his job washing cars and become a full-time Skate Teacher. 10 years later and he is just as passionate about skateboarding as he was when he started. He remains one of the most dedicated and motivated members of the Skateistan team.
Oliver Percovich: Do you remember the first time you saw a skateboard and how that felt?
Merza Mohammadi: I saw skateboarding for the first time at the Mekroyan fountain and I was so excited. I wondered what it was because it was so new to me. Some people and friends that were skating at the fountain told me it was roller skating — so they didn’t know what it was either. I wished that one day I would have the opportunity to try it too and become a skater.
OP: Do you remember the first time you tried skateboarding?
MM: I was so excited to try skateboarding. When I tried for the first time I fell straight down on my back because I had no idea how to control it nor keep my balance on a skateboard. But then slowly, gradually, I learned how to keep my balance and move forward.
OP: Back in 2008, whenever I would go to the Mekroyan fountain to run skate sessions some people, like Noorzai, were always teaching others how to skate, but you always skateboarded in the background. Were you shy to skateboard in front of us?
MM: When I was done with my work which, at the time, was washing cars and helping people park their cars on the street, I used to come to the fountain to skate. I was not shy, I was just focusing on learning. I was keeping my eye on the other skaters to see how they were doing it and keeping their balance. That was my goal. I would keep my eyes on Noorzai just to learn more.
OP: When did you start teaching skateboarding to others?
MM: After a year of skating, I found the confidence to start teaching others. Before this, I was only working and skating for pleasure with friends.
OP: You’ve been involved with Skateistan since 2008. Do you have a favorite memory from Skateistan in the last 10 years?
MM: I have two particular memories that stand out from my time at Skateistan. I loved skateboarding so much when I started it, but the main obstacles to doing it were my family and my employer. They kept telling me that there was no future in it and that I was wasting my time skating with foreigners at the Mekroyan fountain. But then I received a call from Skateistan telling me that a Skate School had been built and that they would like me to come and work there as a Skate Trainer and be paid. This is my favorite memory that I can share. Another highlight is when you offered $100 for the first 360 flip to be landed by an Afghan in Afghanistan. Amazingly, I landed it on my second try and won your money!
OP: How has skateboarding changed your life?
MM: Before I discovered skateboarding, I was a simple and ordinary person, I didn’t know what the future looked like for myself. I followed what my friends and everyone else were doing, but I didn’t know if that was right for me. After I came to Skateistan and started skating and, in particular, when the students call me “teacher”, it gives me a really special feeling. This has changed my life a lot and my future too, I’m sure. I’m also very surprised that skateboarding has been added to the 2018 Asian Games in Indonesia. We are going to represent Afghanistan for the first time and history will remember us as the first Afghan skaters that competed in Indonesia.
OP: You’ll be world famous! Skateistan has achieved a lot of things in the last 10 years. What would you like to see Skateistan achieve in the next 10 years?
MM: In the last 10 years, Skateistan has changed a lot, particularly in Afghanistan. Through the Back-to-School program, a lot of students have graduated from school that wouldn’t have been able even to attend school normally. I’m sure in the next 10 years Skateistan will expand greatly in other provinces and countries, and I’m sure that Skateistan will help a lot of poor kids worldwide that don’t have the chance to attend school. I really appreciate the way that you and the rest of the team are working and I’m sure that Skateistan will change a lot of things in the next 10 years as well. It’s not only the programs, what is also great is the complementary mix of kids that we have from different ethnicities, backgrounds, languages, and religions — it’s an environment where everyone can practice together in a peaceful way. I’m sure as we move forward, we will become very famous in the world and they will thank you and Skateistan for what we are doing and for what we have done so far.
OP: I think it is a big group effort. We work together as a big team and, as a team, we are very strong. What was first created in the Mekroyan fountain was really the idea behind Skateistan. We had children from all different background and ethnicities, boys and girls, some of the children were helped to get back into school. All of the ideas that Skateistan is doing around the world started in the Mekroyan fountain with you and the others. Thank you very much for being part of what we do. I really enjoyed the skate that we had in Makroyan a few weeks ago!
MM: It was great for me to skate with you again and refresh the memories. I miss those days of skating with you. I really appreciate the way that you behave with staff, firstly as a friend.
Thanks to the support of individuals, such as Merza, we have been empowering children through skateboarding and education for 10 years now. Celebrate and follow this milestone with us on the blog, and get ready for our new campaign to support 10 more years of Skateistan which launches May 10th.
