How to change the life of township kids with a board
In South Africa Poelo Mofolo got on his skateboard and is using it as a tool to keep kids off the street, while inspiring a new generation of skateboarders in Mamelodi, East Pretoria.
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00:00 How do you change the lives of dozens of poor kids in a township?
00:05 If you're Boile Mofolo, you do it with a board.
00:09 Skateboarding is such a difficult thing to do, so it builds a lot of resilience.
00:14 And doing something over and over until you get it right, you can take that into your
00:20 adult life.
00:25 In the 1960s, the party government forcibly removed black South Africans to newly formed
00:31 black-only townships.
00:33 Many of those who were relocated from Lady Selborne in Pretoria ended up in what is now
00:38 the vibrant township of Mamelodi.
00:41 So what's it like to live here?
00:42 When it comes to the youth, they don't have opportunities in terms of educational facilities,
00:48 sporting facilities.
00:50 The Mamelodi Skate Club impacts the youth in a positive way because it gives them a
00:54 sense of belonging.
00:56 And it is also where you can hone your craft in skateboarding because you're skating
01:02 with people who are good.
01:03 When my son told me that, "Mom, I want to start skateboarding," I was so a little
01:07 bit worried because I thought maybe this will touch with the school studies.
01:11 But as time goes on, when he went there, I was so happy because I've seen a lot of
01:15 changes in him.
01:17 He had self-confidence, self-esteem as well.
01:20 Across South Africa, most townships are areas with few resources and opportunities.
01:25 Why did Puelo, a professional skateboarder since 2015, decide to build a skate park for
01:31 the youth in these circumstances?
01:35 Growing up in an orphanage made me more compassionate about people.
01:39 And I grew up much quicker than most kids.
01:43 At the children's home that I lived in, I saw many kids who had many problems being
01:50 abused, neglected, and things like that.
01:53 That changes your outlook on life.
01:56 This children's home that I lived at, the lady who owned it, she used to bring her son
02:00 and he used to bring his skateboard to the children's home.
02:05 And him and I just gravitated towards each other and we just became friends.
02:10 And he gave me his old skateboard.
02:13 And from then on, I never looked back.
02:17 Skateboarding has been around in South Africa since the 1960s.
02:20 But access and the cost of boards, and safe areas to skate, have kept it an unpopular
02:25 sport.
02:26 How did Puelo turn this costly hobby into a profession?
02:30 Skateboarding is an artistic expression.
02:33 So it involves fashion, music, photography.
02:38 So when you do go to the skate park, you're likely to meet someone who is a photographer.
02:43 And then I met someone who was a photographer and then he told me that he would like me
02:47 to be an advert for Mr. Price.
02:51 It opened a lot of opportunities.
02:53 So I went into modeling.
02:55 I also got endorsed by, we had a local shop close to the children's home.
03:02 It was called Omni Skate and Surf.
03:03 And they used to sell skateboarding clothes and things like that.
03:07 We became brand ambassadors for the shop.
03:13 When Puelo aged out of the system at 18, he got a partial scholarship to study drama in
03:17 Pretoria.
03:18 Why didn't he just focus on starting his career, but instead on giving back?
03:23 This is more fulfilling for me.
03:25 It's a lot easier to get on camera and just pretend.
03:30 But it's more meaningful when you're picking someone else up, like how I was, you know.
03:35 I had a lot of people who also helped me.
03:38 So I wanted to give back.
03:43 Considering how unknown and expensive skateboarding is, especially in predominantly black areas,
03:49 what made him think that a skate park would work?
03:52 We work with sponsors.
03:54 So they donate skateboards to the skate club.
03:56 And then the kids who can't afford a skateboard, you go to the garden, you sign up, and then
04:01 you learn about agriculture, how to plant organic vegetables.
04:07 And then you accumulate hours.
04:09 And then once you've accumulated enough points, you get a free skateboard.
04:14 I've grown quite a lot of self-esteem due to skateboarding.
04:17 It has also taught me some self-discipline, honestly.
04:20 Being able to do trips with a skateboard, you have to be staying focused.
04:23 If you stay focused, it helps you focus on other things, which means you can stay focused
04:28 on your school books, focused on what you're aiming for when you grow up.
04:31 The kids really love the impact of the skate park.
04:33 So when they come to the park, they're really excited.
04:35 So they can leave their school and leave everything that they've done, besides the things that
04:40 they do in the streets, like getting them off of anything else they could do, but coming
04:44 to the session.
04:45 The Tardeni Community Centre took a chance on the MAM Skate Club, and it's paid off in
04:50 helping the community form stronger bonds.
04:53 But is it sustainable?
04:55 The fact that we've formalized skateboarding in Mami Lodi, now we are recognized by other
05:02 skating fraternities, like for instance, today we have a skater from Mami Lodi, he's competing
05:10 in Ghasfontein, which is, there's a skate park called Dresher Skate Park.
05:15 Now that skateboarding is also in the Olympics, it means that he can take it further.
05:19 It doesn't have to be just something that he does to keep himself busy.
05:24 It can be a career.
05:26 So how do you breathe new life into a township that's been overlooked?
05:30 If you're a Polymer follower, you do it on a skateboard.
05:33 [MUSIC PLAYING]