In the summer of 2022 I bought a one-way ticket and flew out to Palestine for the summer to volunteer for Skatepal - a British NGO who provide lessons and support for kids who want to skateboard in the West Bank. I spent 2.5 months building a DIY skatepark along with some incredible volunteers from around the globe and some local skaters from Palestine. At the end of summer, due to building restrictions and funding we completed about 70% of the park before having to head back home. We spent the winter fundraising and planing the remainder of the build and by early summer 2023 we had reconvened in Palestine to finish the park.
The below photo story documents the summer of 2023 and all the people who were involved in finishing up the park. I managed to shoot the story in-between mixing concrete, welding rebar and shovelling debris. The park itself is tucked away between two buildings in the Inash Ul-Asra community centre and orphanage in Al-Bireh, the small city right next to Ramallah. The Bank of Palestine came in towards the end of the project with extra funding for a year long teaching program for the local youth.
The below photo story documents the summer of 2023 and all the people who were involved in finishing up the park. I managed to shoot the story in-between mixing concrete, welding rebar and shovelling debris. The park itself is tucked away between two buildings in the Inash Ul-Asra community centre and orphanage in Al-Bireh, the small city right next to Ramallah. The Bank of Palestine came in towards the end of the project with extra funding for a year long teaching program for the local youth.
Jumping on this opportunity has changed the trajectory of my life forever, I'm incredibly thankful for Skatepal and all that they do. Please visit the Skatepal site to learn more about their projects.
You can follow more of my stories here @greg.c.holland
