Wheels of Change: Ziyaad's Skate School Empowers Hout Bay Youth

In the heart of Hout Bay, at the Eyethu Skate Park, wheels are in motion not just for aspiring skateboarders to learn ollies and kickflips but to drive positive life transformation. Ziyaad's Skate School, birthed from Ziyaad Davids' resilience and dedication, is a beacon of hope for the youth of Hangberg, a village in the area. A former worker at Indigo Youth Movement, Davids persevered through the loss of employment during the pandemic, steering his experience toward inspiring the local youth through skateboarding.

Skateboards have become more than mere playthings under Davids' tutelage; they are tools of empowerment steering the kids away from the prevalent trap of alcoholism, drug abuse, and gangsterism. His slogan, "skate for change," is his commitment to the metaphorical and literal motion towards progress and personal growth in a community yearning for ways to break the cycle of negativity.

Ziyaad’s Skate School welcomes around 25 to 30 students, and Davids, holding space extraordinarily in Eyethu Skate Park, has evolved his classes to impart critical life lessons. Balancing paid and free classes, the school juggles sports and education, discipline and confidence-building, reflecting a program that recognizes the complexity of societal issues.

Yet, amidst kick pushes and heel flips, the challenge remains substantial. Davids himself acknowledges the necessity for greater community support, including donations, engagement, and the simplest act of providing old clothes to sustain the transformative work that Ziyaad’s Skate School embodies.

His dream extends well beyond Hout Bay, envisioning a world where the skateboarding culture he fosters, embedded with values and life skills, could spread its wings across Cape Town and even to areas beyond the city's borders. As donations and volunteer opportunities present themselves, Davids' mission thrives on every act of goodwill that acknowledges the power of his vision.

To partake in this journey, Davids is accessible through social media platforms such as Facebook and Instagram, along with instant communication methods like WhatsApp and email. Each volunteer, each donation, breathes life into his school, enriching it with the resources needed to keep the children of Hangberg rolling towards a brighter, healthier, and more successful future.

Hangberg is more than where this story begins; it is where change accelerates, where futures are crafted, and where Ziyaad Davids and his skateboarding school cruise towards impacting lives, one child, one ollie, one smile at a time.