Deep in South Africa’s KwaZulu-Natal province, young people are being helped to discover skateboarding, “reports journalist Gemma Pitcher.”:http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/spl/hi/picture_gallery/05/africa_sa_skateboarders/html/1.stm

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Rural teenagers often feel isolated from the youth culture embraced by their wealthier urban contemporaries. There is little here to keep them occupied – recreation facilities are at best limited to a dry, worn-out soccer pitch. Boredom leads many Zulu youths to move to the cities in search of work. They often end up turning instead to crime, drug addiction or vagrancy.

The village skate camps bring in teenagers from all over South Africa and even attract international skateboarding professionals. Teenagers from very different backgrounds form cross-cultural friendships through their shared passion.

“Skateboarding is mine to enjoy. You might come from there, I might come from here, but it’s possible that we could skate the same,” says Amimi, 15.

Check out “indigo skate camp”:http://www.indigoskatecamp.co.za for more details. Spotted this article over at “Space and Culture”:http://spaceandculture.org/2005_06_01_archive.php#111944549305897569

As many as 6 bombs went of on the London Underground and busses today. Madness! One of them at Liverpool Street which I would have passed if I had gone in to work today. Crazy I tell you!