In Afghanistan , many girls are forbidden from riding bicycles - they are , however , allowed to ride skateboards . So when Australian skateboarder Oliver Percovich created Skateistan , a non-profit organization that aims to connect youth in Afghanistan with education through skateboarding , it should n't have been a surprise that 40 per cent of the program 's students would be girls . In 2012 , photographer Jessica Fulford-Dobson decided to take pictures of these Middle Eastern skater girls , and her work was recently on display at a gallery in London . Scroll down for video . Tough girls : Photographer Jessica Fulford-Dobson took pictures of young girls skateboarding in dresses and skirts in Kabul , Afghanistan . Finding time for fun : Most girls are not allowed to ride bikes in Afghanistan , but skateboarding is n't against the rules . According to Feature Shoot , when Mr. Percovich first brought the program to Kabul , Afghanistan in 2007 , many of the locals had never even heard of skateboarding . In fact , Ms. Fulford-Dobson said she believes the reason skateboarding has been received so differently in Afghanistan than in other countries is precisely because it was new to the region . 'When skateboarding arrived in Afghanistan , it did n't have any preconceived images for them . They did n't know what it was , ' she said , while adding that it was only accepted after it became clear that it was just ' a toy to have fun with ' . Safety first : While the girls were conservatively dressed , they did n't forgo safety measures like wearing helmets and knee pads . Little ladies who skate : Ms. Fulford-Dobson said she was fascinated with just how immaculate one girl , left , was , considering how dusty the skateboard facilities were . This sport knows no gender : 40 per cent of Skateistan 's students are female ; the girls also have the option of joining a back-to-school program . Now , its the top sport for girls in the country , who are able to ride freely in dresses and other clothing that can be restrictive when playing other sports . When Ms. Fulford-Dobson visited the Skateistan facilities in 2012 , she quickly noticed their confidence and the joy they took in learning . She took pictures of them with natural light , capturing them in dresses , pants , headscarves and sneakers as they happily played on skateboards . ' I captured about nine in total , ' she told the BBC , recalling one girl whose father had initially told her she could n't join the skateboarding program . He finally relented after she would n't stop begging him . Girls will be girls : Ms. Fulford-Dobson said she was struck by the girls ' confidence and how happy they were to skateboard . Unconventional athletic gear : The style of dress required by girls can make it difficult to play other sports , but luckily it doesn ’ t tend to interfere with their skateboarding . ' I met so many impressive women and girls in Afghanistan : a teacher as tough and determined as any man ; young Afghans in their early twenties who were volunteering at an orphanage and were passionate about being seen as strong and willing to fight for themselves , rather than as victims of circumstance ; and girls who were being educated to be leaders in their communities and who were already thinking carefully about their own and their country ’ s future , ' Ms. Fulford-Dobson said . That education is a top priority for Skateistan , as many children in Kabul from low-income families are forced to drop out of school to earn money . Besides being taught to skateboard , the program 's participants are also invited to join a free back-to-school program to help them get back on track with their education .
Photographer Jessica Fulford-Dobson took pictures of the girls at the Skateistan facilities in Afghanistan . Australian Oliver Percovich created Skateistan , an NGO , to promote education through skateboarding ; participants can also join a free back-to-school program .