Hundreds of young girls in the war-torn country have signed up with charity Skateistan to get off the streets and back into school.

The chaos and destruction of 30 years of war in Afghanistan have created a country where children have few role models - and instead see dangerous fanatical figures and murderous war lords as the leaders of society.

But the charity are now working to create a new generation of leaders in the country, and recently opened their first outdoor skatepark in the northern city of Mazar-e-Sharif.

Hanifa, 16, was selling tea on the streets and in the parks of ravaged Kabul when she first visited one the charity's skateparks in 2010.

Now she is one Afghanistan’s most talented skaters and has become an inspiring teacher and role model for other young girls and has even joined Skateistan’s staff in the city as an instructor.

The teenager said: 'When I came to Skateistan, my life changed so much, because when I was working on the street, people would harass me.

'Now I feel good because I'm at Skateistan and I'm teaching the students. When the students call me teacher, it makes me very happy. I think by becoming a good skater, I'll create a better future for myself.' 

Hanifa has enrolled in the charity's Back To School programme, and is hoping to return to public school with her friends. 

The charity was set up by Ollie Percovich, who believes that the 800 children he is working with across the country are determined to build a better future for themselves,

Ollie, from Melbourne in Australia, said: ‘We want the girls to see one another as role models instead of the war lords who would drive around town with a car load of men who are waving guns around. 

‘It’s important that they have role models, and we want their role models to be other Afghan kids who are healthy and happy. 

The girls can see that they now have opportunities and options in their lives that may have not been there before.

‘Skateistan is about creating opportunities for the kids so that they can see that it is possible for them to have a chance to do what they want for their lives.’

Children in Afghanistan have lived amongst conflict for more than 30 years and the country was named by charity Unicef as the worst place in the world to be born. 

But Skateistan staff are contributing to a new sense of hope in the country, and Ollie said: ‘We want to help create a new generation of leaders in Afghanistan that can tackle the problems that they face in society.

‘People might come to Afghanistan and say ‘Your political system is corrupt’ or ‘Your education system is not good enough’, but rather than tell them how to fix it, we want the kids to understand that what they consider to be important issues are the things that they can help change.

‘There are issues with drugs, such as opium and heroin abuse. Other things such as self-immolation, forced marriages and policemen taking bribes can be a problem.

‘We want to create a situation where they can stand up and tackle these problems in society as young Afghan people who want to make their country a better place.’

The charity started in 2007 with just three skateboards and a motorbike to transport them around ravaged Kabul but investment meant they were soon able to open their own skate park for budding boarders. 

The new outdoor facility in Mazar-e-Sharif has been designed to feature pathways with skatepark obstacles, an outdoor classroom, trees for shade, grass areas for outdoor sports, gardens and a greenhouse. 

(dailymail.co.uk)