When Robby Kimmel stepped off a plane onto Zimbabwe soil in 2023, he had no idea how his life was about to change. Having recently graduated from university with a degree in business and finance, he was thousands of miles from the centers of commerce where his peers were beginning their climb up the corporate ladder. Instead, working as an intern for MATTER, Robby was figuring out how to build bridges with the people in Victoria Falls to help improve their community.
His outgoing personality and warm smile quickly endeared him with the youth, but it was the skateboards he had brought with him that drew the crowds. Very quickly, Robby was teaching dozens of kids how to skateboard. In the process, as friendships grew, he was able to observe what life was like for young people in an African tourist town. It didn’t take long to see that Victoria Falls needed a safe, communal place for its residents to gather and its youth to play.
That is how the vision for Samkele Park was born and how Robby joined the team at MATTER to help bring life to his vision. We recently interviewed Robby to hear about some of the challenges of this project and what is motivating him to see this project through to completion.
What are some of the challenges you’ve faced so far?
One of the biggest challenges we have had so far is police pushback. Skateboarding is a brand-new sport in Victoria Falls, and it seems that some people are taking much longer to adjust to it than others, especially the police. Many captains of the skate club have had policemen try to take their boards away from them, even though the kids are being mindful of cars on the road and cause no trouble. Imagine if the police tried to take someone’s bike away for using the road… for some reason they just do not see it as the same.
When we used to practice on a quiet road in Chinotimba, I had two policemen come who wanted me to talk with the chief of Chinotimba Police. I told the chief about our club, and he asked to come check out our next practice. He was amazed at what we were doing, thanked us for keeping these kids out of trouble, and told us to continue on practicing there. A month later Victoria Falls Municipal Police came and shut us down and told us to go somewhere else… but there is no public place for children to play in town. We now practice at a run-down private sports club, but I am constantly wondering when they will be the next ones to kick us out. This is quite stressful because this club is so important to me and if we are booted from this place, then we are truly out of options for an area to practice. That’s why this community center that we aim to build is so important, so that we can continue providing a safe place for children to play without any worries.
With the unexpected delays and other challenges, what keeps you motivated to bring this project to life?
I like to use these delays and challenges as ammunition to keep moving forward and fighting for what matters to me: creating a safe and free place for the children of Victoria Falls to play. Play is extremely fundamental in the development of a child, as it promotes cognitive development, cultivates creativity, and encourages physical fitness. All children deserve a safe place to play, and I believe that my biggest motivation is my strong belief in this statement. I believe that Samkele Park will be one of the most impactful ways of combating rising societal issues such as alcoholism in teens, unemployment, drug abuse, and gender inequality. This place will be the first of its kind in Vic Falls, where anyone can benefit and be seen as equal no matter your age, economic status, or skin color. The potential that this project has in bringing people together is truly astronomical, and I will not give up until this dream has been fulfilled.
What has been the biggest lesson you’ve learned in owning this project and seeing it become a reality?
When I first moved to Zimbabwe, I had the idea that helping people would be such an easy task. As we began pushing the initiative for Samkele Park, I realized that helping people can be extremely hard at times. Last February we did a groundbreaking ceremony for Samkele Park on our dream piece of land with the Mayor and Town Clerk in attendance. A month later, after we had submitted our final design plans, the city council came back to us saying they had forgotten about a lady who was tied to that same piece of land.
From these pushbacks from council to our conflicts with police, we are always facing hardships left and right. These are not lessons that I was taught at university, nor at any point of my life. Seeing the smiles on these kids’ faces makes all of these hardships worth it and makes me want to push even harder. I feel like I have learned more about myself, the world, and others in the past year living in Zimbabwe than any other year of my life. Every day is a learning experience here in Vic Falls, and I could not be more grateful for it!
What has surprised you the most about the kids you’ve befriended in Victoria Falls?
When I first started the skate club, many kids would try to rip the boards from underneath one another’s feet and were very reluctant to share. As we continued to conduct our practices, it amazed me to see how much these kids changed for the better. Now instead of hoarding the boards for themselves, the kids willingly teach newcomers and share with one another. This made me realize that what I am doing is about so much more than just skateboarding, it is about fostering community and allowing kids to be kids. We have truly created a welcoming community around the sport of skateboarding, which is such a dream come true for me.
I have witnessed that culturally here, it is often about “What I have and you don’t.” To see a positive change in this mentality and to see people trying to rise up together instead of bringing each other down is honestly mind blowing. One of my main philosophies that I have tried to bring to the skate club is that there is a difference between “looking cool” and “being cool”. “Looking cool” involves trying to be better than one another, while “being cool” is about being genuine and wanting everyone to succeed together. Every day I get to witness kids truly “being cool” which makes me indescribably happy!
You can help Robby bring the vision of Samkele Park to life at a concert and fundraiser on September 14th! In addition to great music on the shores of Lake Minnetonka, you’ll get the opportunity to hear from Robby himself and learn more about the impact this communal gathering place will have on the youth of Victoria Falls. LEARN MORE HERE
Check out Robby and the Victoria Falls Skateboard Club in action!
