* Released five months before his full sentence after being pardoned due to his good behaviour
* He became one of Dadaz Chess Academy volunteers teaching chess to street children and prisoners
* He has found himself in Pune, India where he is sharing his chess story to participants from all over the world
By Duncan Mlanjira
Steven Maruwo was introduced to chess while at Mvula Prison serving a five-year sentence for being found in possession with the protected animal specie, the pangolin, but today he has found himself in Pune, India where he is sharing his chess story to participants from all over the world.
Advertisement
That’s the kind of influence that former Chess Association of Malawi (CHESSAM) president Susan Namangale is imparting in the minds of prison inmates — that the spell behind the high walls of the penitentiaries are meant to rehabilitate those found in conflict with the law to contribute positively once released into the society they offended.
Namangale, who is now Zone 4.5 president and founder of Dadaz Chess Academy, introduced chess at Maula Prison some five years ago in partnership with Caswel Mkanda through his Uthunthu Ministry — a programme that has successfully inculcated chess-playing culture amongst prison inmates using the sport for mindset change for them to become useful citizens once liberated into the society.
Namangale, through Dadaz was inspired to expand the prison outreach at Maula and other penitentiaries after she attended Chess for Freedom conference in Chicago, USA and through her experience when she visited Cook County Sheriff — USA’s second largest prison.
Chess in Prison is a tool to improve the quality of life for inmates as they prepare for liberation and Namangale also facilitated that Malawi inmates participate in international online chess games.
With support of her team of volunteers, Dadaz spread the programme to 16 other prisons to use chess as a tool for reformation and give inmates a meaningful game that they can use to make good decisions for life in and outside the prison walls.
The prison authorities fully supported the chess program such that in 2023 they allowed that Namangale should register two teams for the intercontinental chess championship — which was amazingly done as Maula Prison reached the quarterfinals.
The team’s participation was supported by prison patron Kaziputa Jnr and world chess governing body accredited FIDE International Arbiter Gilton Mkumbwa, whose captain was Steven Maruwo.
Namangale reports that Maruwo was released in January this year, five months before his full sentence after being pardoned due to his good behaviour while in prison.
“Maruwo was very determined with chess through leading the prison club and when he got released he reached out to me and I made him one of my volunteers and started teaching chess to street children and prisoners.
“I was invited to attend a chess for freedom conference in India and I was asked to bring with me an ex-inmate who can share his chess story in and outside prison and so I chose Steven.
“This is how Steven and I have found ourselves here in Pune [where he] will be sharing his chess story to participants from all over the world. I will also be representing The Gift of Chess in presenting how I managed to break the prison walls with chess.
“This is what we mean when we say that chess can change lives as it changed mine and now changing Steven’s,” she said from Pune where the two visited a prison to play chess with inmates and they will also be hosted for a gala dinner awards ceremony.
The report was shared on her Facebook page, and in his reaction, former chess national championships star player, Stanley Mpinganjira applauded Namangale, saying: “Whatever you touch, changes into gold — you really are something else, Susan Namangale.”
Inkosi McWilliams described the life-changing experiences of Maruwo as “absolutely beautiful”, adding: “The game of chess is so impactful” while Jerry Ben Sakala congratulated Maruwo “for keeping his head high and finding an occupation in chess. And thanks Dadaz for impacting lives positively with chess.”
Clive Bota said of Namangale: “I always appreciate your great efforts to the game — breaking barriers; for the love of the game”, while Bright Chikaonda said: “Wow! This is indeed breaking the prison walls with the chessboard.”
The kind words kept pouring in applauding Namangale and Dadaz Academy for changing lives that includes inculcating the chess-playing culture amongst street children.
In May, Dadaz Academy, in partnership with King Hunters Chess Club opened a new shelter in Lilongwe for the Chess for Street Kids project aimed at providing a safe place for street children to learn and play chess.
On its Facebook page post on May 25, Dadaz Academy said “the project goes beyond just teaching chess — it aims to help street children develop important skills like thinking, planning, and discipline, which can improve their lives and futures”.
“The new shelter offers a stable environment where the children can focus on their chess lessons. It also serves as a community centre where they receive guidance and support from members of the King Hunters Chess Club.”
Dadaz added that the initiative is also made possible by the chess sets donated by US chess charity, The Gift of Chess, ensuring that all kids have the equipment they need to learn and play.
“Lilongwe City Council supports this project, recognizing its potential to help the community,” said the report. “By providing street kids with a safe space and meaningful activities, the project helps reduce the number of children on the streets and promotes a safer city.
“This is the first project of its kind in Malawi, marking a significant milestone in providing support and opportunities for street children through chess.
We invite everyone to support this important cause. Your donations will help sustain the program and provide meals for the children.”
Whilst in the US for the Chess for Freedom conference, Namangale got connected with Russell Makofsky, founder of The Gift of Chess — a global sports charity that is transforming lives through its universal language of chess — that saw Dadaz Academy being appointed as its ambassador.
Namangale herself was appointed Global Head of The Gift of Chess and for the last quarter of 2023, the Academy has distributed over 1,000 chess sets (5 set gifts) across schools and prisons — provided by the US global sports charity.
Advertisement