Dressed in jeans, sweatpants and abayas, dozens of Ethiopian schoolgirls practise the art of nailing a landing and finding their balance and their confidence as they zip across a skatepark in Addis…
Ethiopian Girl Skaters is a female-only skateboarding group that brings together young girls from different backgrounds, building a community that challenges the stereotype that girls shouldn’t be involved in extreme sports like skateboarding.
Several Ethiopian schoolgirls dressed in jeans, sweatpants, and abayas practised the art of skateboarding, breaking all taboos. Although there are numerous skateboarding communities in the country, they are mostly dominated by men. With experience and time, female skateboarders have developed skills to cope with criticism and avoidable injuries that the sport entails.
A group of female Ethiopian skaters have carved out a space to practice and bond in a society that does not always offer women freedom of movement and opportunity.