Skateistan began as a grassroots 'Sport for Development' project on the streets of Kabul in 2007, and is now an award-winning, international NGO (Non-Governmental Organization) with projects in Afghanistan and Cambodia. Skateistan is the first international development initiative to combine skateboarding with educational outcomes.  Skateistan is non-political, independent, and inclusive of all ethnicities, religions and social backgrounds. Skateistan aims to always be an innovative social project with quality.

Skateboarding is simply "the hook" for engaging with hard-to-reach young people. Skateistan's development aid programs work with growing numbers of marginalized youth through skateboarding, and provide them with new opportunities in cross-cultural interaction, education, and personal empowerment programs.