Hasta La Ideas

We got wind (or should we say air) on an incredible build project benefiting the Uganda Skateboard Union in Kitintale, a working-class suburb of the city of Kampala. The neighborhood is home to East Africa’s first skate park and has become the ongoing subject of photographer Yann Gross’ series, Kitintale Skates. As Gross explains:

As a skateboarder myself, I started to document the birth of this subculture since the early beginning and will follow its expansion, influenced by the Ugandan daily life context and African culture. For the last few years I have been going back to Uganda for two months every year to document the growing scene. This subculture grows every year and the idea of the project is to document the evolution in the next decade.

Two years ago the ramp collapsed from heavy rain and Gross recently started a campaign on the photojournalism crowdfunding site, emphas.is to collect funds to help rebuild the half-pipe. Members of the Union will participate in rebuilding the ramp, giving them skills for the future as well as instilling a sense of camraderie amongst the group. The funds raised will contribute to materials to rebuild the park as well as travel to document its construction. Check out Yann Gross’ series here, donate to the campaign and watch the video about the skatepark after the jump.

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