Mbabane
Swaziland
What did we do in Mbabane?
Mbabane is the capital city of Swaziland right in the middle of the Drakensberg range. We built a skatepark in a public park in the middle of the city with the great view over the mountains. We went down in early 2023 in a group of eight volunteers from RSA, France, Belgium and mostly the crew from Bonidee Skateparks. In forty days we managed to build a multifunctional 350 square meter big skatepark feasible for cultural events, gatherings, BBQ and so on. We engaged with an Italian NGO Cospe who regularly runs their program called “YES” - Youth Empowerment Strategy on top of the skateboarding classes secured by the local organization Emaswati Skate.
Intensions
Public skatepark
We have obtained a public land of 350 square meters. A historic, non-functional miniramp stood on that land and we worked it into the new concrete skatepark with all elements of modern skateboarding.
Combating HIV
HIV is a really big issue in Swaziland. Our deal is to help prevent from this deadly dissease through seminars and events taking place in the skatepark.
Creating a public hub
Given the nature of the location, the skatepark serves perfectly as a place of public gatherings, BBQ, open air concerts, seminars, workshops and so on.
Why did we want to go to Mbabane?
We took a trip to Mbabane after we finished our first project in Mozambique and we just fell in love with the local nature, atmosphere and the community. We engaged in some planning and here we go.
The children
Swaziland is not an extreme case of the youth bulge phenomenon, but it has still a high percentage with 38% of population below 14 compared to an average 15% in Europe.
The HIV rate
WHO claims that 61% of the deaths are caused by HIV. Swaziland has the highest prevalance in the world, unfortunately even among children.
The skate scene
The skateboarding scene has been growing in Mbabane for many years now. They skate on parking lots showing some good skills and they deserve a real park. We managed to link this project with the legendary Stalinplaza in Prague. Martin, the founder of SWB was born in Prague and fell in love with skateboarding through days and days spent on Stalinplaza. It seemed necessary to pay tribute to this infamous skatespot. Generally, through our actions we want to give back to skateboarding. Swaziland has a lot of granite, so it felt like a great fit.
The culture
This skatepark has an amazing potential to host events for individuals and families being in the open space. Swaziland has one of the biggest festivals in southern Africa called the Bush Fire, so it is apparent that the culture is there
This is the result of our work
Coronation skatepark
The skatepark is located in a so-called Coronation Park, which is the biggest public park in Mbabane. It is right by an existing sporting area with tennis courts and public facilities. The skatepark is easily accessible to anybody as it is located in the middle of the city. It is public and open all day long, but the activities are carried out by a local organization - Emaswati Skate.
Photogallery
Some cool moments
Here are a few pictures from a trip around Swaziland and the construction process. Should you be interested in having one printed on your wall, just let us know!
