Solwezi, Zambia
Skateboarding Solwezi Community
Our upcoming project in Solwezi, is rooted in a powerful story of perseverance and youth-driven change. While preparing to leave California for a project in Mongu, Zambia; I received repeated messages for skateboarding equipment from Peter. His dedication was undeniable. Due to the lack of paved roads and infrastructure, traveling there from Mongue takes multiple days. During this project Luke (Wonders Around the World US CFO) got covid and was rushed to the hospital in Lusaka (Capital of Zambia). Peter kept reaching out, day after day, driven by nothing but pure love for skateboarding and the dream of something better for his community. The trip to Lusaka put me halfway to Solwezi, so I decided to go to see Peter.
Peter, Founder of Skateboarding Solwezi
When I arrived in Solwezi, I was amazed to learn that Peter was only 16 years old. Seeing his passion for skateboarding first hand, I helped arrange an agreement with a local strip mall allowing them to skate behind the buildings. The strip mall was one of the only places in Solwezi with concrete. I met a few of the Solwezi skateboarding community and gave them all skateboards. From there, something incredible happened; the kids organized their own loaner system to share the limited equipment with the entire community. They mentioned that prior to this they only had a couple of boards which they all shared. The sense of community was so inspiring and told them that one day I would come back and build a skatepark for Solwezi.
The number of skaters has grown tremendously and the local government of Solwezi is in complete support of the skateboarding community. The Provincial Sports Development Coordinator has donated a 50x50 square meters piece of land to Wonders US to build a skate park. With the support of our global volunteers and partners, we are hoping to return to Zambia to build a skatepark in Solwezi on the land donated by the Solwezi government. This project is a testament to the impact of youth leadership, the power of dreaming, and the manifestation that perseverance brings to life.
-Jesus Martinez
Edit from the 1st time visiting Solwezi
Design
From beginner-friendly to advanced obstacles, every detail is crafted to ensure flow, progression, and fun. Regardless of the skill level or experience, the park invites everyone to roll, learn, and grow together.
