In January 2018, we realized our first project in South Africa. We brought 100 skateboards with the goal to give less fortunate kids in different regions access to Skateboarding.
During our journey, we are trying to understand the extreme circumstances that these kids grow up in.
Watch Wheels of Change and find out how passionate skateboarders are fighting to reverse the effects that poverty and gangsterism have on this new generation.
It started as a simple idea, and before we knew it, we made so many plans that there was no way back. The goal was clear:
helping a country that is suffering from gangsterism, drugs and poverty. How we would do it? By doing what we love to do most: Skateboarding! Jaime Prins, cofounder of GYST.
It was April 2017 when I first visited South Africa. It was a journey where we got to know the extremes: from luxury villas to inhuman living conditions in the townships. Breathtaking nature on one side and depressing environments on the other side, where we could only conclude that we have it really nice here in Europe. What I remembered most is that most kids don’t really have a chance for a better future: no money for education and no money for sports or an other activity where kids can simply be in the moment for a while and have fun.
The culture shock came when we got back in the Netherlands. A question I asked myself was where I would have end up without school, hobby’s, work and all friendships that grew from there? At the same time, I wanted to go back to South Africa, but this time not with empty hands…
Looking at my own youth, I know that skateboarding brought me a lot. I felt free, living in the moment. I had a way to release my energy and I had a creative outlet. I felt part of a community that is shaped by respect, solidarity, self-improvement and FUN. It taught me social and mental skills that no school could ever teach me. It goes without saying that I am still a fanatic skateboarder.
Johan, one of those best friends that I have been skateboarding with all my life, also felt an urge to do something and GYST was born. We started collecting used skateboards within our network and via skatestores. We gained some sponsors and started working towards our first project. We contacted South African organizations where we could collaborate with, organizing workshops for kids and it didn’t take long before we found 4 organizations that shared the same vison as ours: Bringing kids together through skateboarding and coach them in social and mental skills.
In January 2018, our team traveled to South Africa and we donated 100 skateboards on multiple locations throughout the country. During this trip, we filmed a documentary where the locals are telling their story. The documentary, called ‘Wheels of Change’, shows in which extreme circumstances many of these kids grow up. In the movie, passionate skateboarders are fighting to reverse the effects that poverty and gangsterism have on the younger generations.
The film had it’s première in June 2018 at the SCENECS International Filmfestival in Hilversum. We won the audience prize which was a perfect result to wrap up our first project. We also started working on a new project where we incorporated insights from our first project:
These insights brought us to developing a new project called the Talent Sponsoring Program. This program gives talented kids in South-Africa the opportunity to further develop their skills, to become a positive role model and to finally get in touch with other potential sponsors.
Together with our partners and the people who donate, we provide these kids with a new skateboard every month. By doing this on a monthly basis, they give away their old skateboard to someone who needs it, also on a monthly basis. By doing this, we can help 12 kids per year, per kid we sponsor.
Our local partners coach these kids in their progress and ensure that we can share the progress of these kids on social media, which will also benefit these kids in becoming familiar because of their skills. We are expanding the program with more kids, aligned with the amount of funding we receive. We released the program on the third of September, we are currently sponsoring three kids and helping 36 kids per year.
Support the program! With a small monthly contribution, we can add more talented kids tot he program. You can see for yourself how they are progressing in skateboarding.
Go to subscription page to submit your support. Go to our Instagram or facebook page to see how your contribution helps these kids.
The first 20 subscriptions will receive our documentary ‘Wheels of Change’ completely for free! Watch the trailer here.
#BETTERWORLD
Our first project in South Africa, last January, was unforgettable. We can’t wait for our next project.
We are so glad that Ralph, our fanatic cameraman, has captured the trip and we can share with you why it’s so important for these kids to have the possibility to skate.
Want to know how you can watch the full documentary? Follow us on Instagram!
This January, Get Your Shit Together will go to South Africa. During this trip, we will visit some very impressive and varied locations. Kids will get the chance to learn how to skateboard and will fully experience the beauty of the sport.
We will bring 100 complete skateboards. They will be given away, guided with the essential coaching in skateboarding. For this, we will closely collaborate with the local skatescene, aiming to transfer the full skateboarding experience so we can actually inspire kids to skate.
Our journey will be exactly what you would expect from a skateboard-trip. We have only added a unique social aspect. The locations are selected to illustrate the enormous contrast between poverty and prosperity. Our goal is to increase awareness, so we can realize more and bigger projects.
Film maker and friend Michael van Batenburg will join us for capturing our impact on camera. Expect a documentary with a vision, an adventure and a call to action.
In the upcoming weeks, we will reveal more details of our trip. Follow us on instagram to stay posted.
Pim Pomsy will make an impressive trip from Marocco to South Africa for his project ‘Boarders, not Borders’. During this 8 month trip, Pim will travel 20.000 kilometers. His goal is to connect with local skate-scenes in multiple countries and he will capture his experience on camera for his documentary.
He leaves on the 21st of October and will bring nothing but his camera and his skateboard. Get Your Shit Together will be involved by providing skateboards on multiple destinations of his trip.
Curious about his experiences? We will keep a close eye on him! Follow him on instagram
