Namangale presenting the gift of chess sets and engaging the inmates in games
* Dadaz Chess Academy lobbies for support of computers from well-wishers for the inmates’ online training
* The inmates are playing good chess. We want them to be ready for the upcoming Intercontinental Chess Championship
* Some are at advanced stages playing some very good chess. They play monthly tournments within the prison walls
By Duncan Mlanjira
Susan Namangale, founder of Dadaz Chess Academy, who is also Global Head of The Gift of Chess, is confident that Maula Prison inmates can favorably compete in the online Intercontinental Chess Championship scheduled for this October.
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She said this after visiting the Prison on Sunday to provide them with chess sets The Gift of Chess from the consignment of 1,000 which the US charity provided for free in partnership with Dadaz Chess Academy as its country ambassador.
“We had a good time at Maula,” said Namangale, who is Dadaz Chess Academy founder. “The inmates are playing good chess. We want them to be ready for the upcoming Intercontinental Chess Championship in October.”
Namangale is thus lobbing for support for computers from well-wishers for their online trainings, saying: “Some are at advanced stages playing some very good chess. They play monthly tournments within the prison walls.
“They train amongst themselves as some learnt the game earlier and are really good players. They are also trained by some good warden chess players.”
Namangale, who is former Chess Association Malawi (CHESSAM) president, maintains that the Maula Prison inmates are ready for the Intercontinental Championship but emphasized the need to be provided with computers for their online training.
She also said Dadaz Academy has reached out to other penitentiaries such as Zomba Maximum, Chichiri, Byanzi Juvenile Rehabilitation Centre, Bvumbwe Juvenile Centre, Mulanje, Nsanje, Ntchisi, Nkhotakota, Mzuzu, Ntcheu, Mangochi and Kasungu, “who are all are very happy with the program”.
Dadaz Academy launched a chess in prison program at Maula Prison last year and after Namangale attended a Chess for Freedom conference in Chicago, US, she experienced inmates enjoying the game at Cook County Sheriff, that country’s second largest prison.
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The visit inspired her to extend it to other penitentiaries after the success of the initiative at Maula, saying the Chess in Prison program is being initiated under Chess for Freedom as “a great tool to improve the quality of life for prisoners as they prepare them for liberation”.
“The chess players I saw in prison were so free mentally and we played some games with them,” she had said. “It was such an amazing experience to see sports programs in prison as a true reflection of sports for all.”
She indicated that inmates participate in international online games and she got inspired that the country’s inmates should also participate in the programs.
Meanwhile, Dadaz Chess Academy has partnered Zimpertec and Vitalite host Back to School kids’ tournament scheduled for August 26 that serves to inculcate the spirit of chess in schools ahead of the next academic term.
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This is in celebration of the success of the distribution of 1,000 free chess sets in the country made available by the US chess charity and reached nationwide to schools in 22 districts in partnership with Dadaz volunteers.
In a joint statement, the three partners said the “sponsorship comes at the right time to give an opportunity for school children to test their skills and play with other children, and it aligns with CHESSAM’s agenda to make Malawi a chess playing nation”.
“Dadaz Chess Academy has been organizing tournaments targeting children as these are the future leaders with great potential to become grandmasters and has committed to supporting CHESSAM by holding chess tournaments for children.”
Zimpertec is a German-based company working closely with Vitalite Malawi to ease access to quality solar products for the people of Malawi and together they accelerate electricity access in rural areas by providing long-lasting PayGo Solar Home Systems.
The Zimpertec Chief Operating Officer, Ulrich Zimmerman is a chess player and FIDE Master (FM) and is set to spice up the kids’ tournament by a playing a friendly match with Malawi’s celebrated chess player, FM Joseph Mwale.
In announcing the sponsorship, Zimpertec and Vitalite expressed their excitement and look forward to it — whose prizes include academic materials such as Brick SHS, school bags, calculators, and others.
Namangale, who is current Zone 4.5 president — the first female to hold such an African regional position — reiterates that she has big plans to reach out to the youths and make chess popular amongst school-going children.
She emphasizes that chess is an important tool to build strategic leaders of tomorow and an important tool for mindset change, which is an enabler in MW2063 national vision and to change the mindset, “it needs people with critical and analytical thinking who see beyond status quo and make the right decisions — and chess is a tool for that”.
On the commemoration of the International Chess Day last month organised by The Gift of Chess, Namangale announced that it launched ‘Become a Builder’ campaign which is enticing 1,000 people or over globally to support the distribution of 1 million chess sets globally by year 2030.
“Each day, new builders are joining us, and we thank all of you that have already supported the campaign,” she said in a special global appeal. “The game of chess can be used as an incredible tool for empowerment and opportunity globally.
“Unfortunately, due to a lack of chess sets, the communities that could benefit the most from chess do not have access to the game. That is why today, on International Chess Day, we are sharing our commitment to distribute 1,000,000 chess sets globally by 2030.”
Wellwishers are encouraged to visit secure.etransfer.com (Support The Gift of Chess).
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