What is the Thanda Chess Team all about?

Our chess team involves 128 children from 7 different schools.

This year we have so much to be excited about and we have really grown. Our team was in the newspaper Eyethu. On the first page, too. In May, KwaZulu-Natal Chess invited us to a tournament to honour our team because we work in an area where schools do not perform as well and it is also rural so they wanted to recognize our achievements. That day, we got position 1. The kids were amazing. We also had 2 kids go to the provincial level, which was something I was proud of. We had 4 tournaments and workshops at Thanda with the kids to bring them all together and prepare for bigger tournaments. 

After-school Facilitators Musa, Nosipho, Mafiki and Noh now help the chess team and they do outreach at the schools when I can’t be there. They help the students understand the rules and they help run the tournaments. This creates sustainability in our programme if one day I am not at Thanda.

Academically, every participant is doing very well and some teachers have told me students improve in class after they join chess. I heard that some of these kids before they would skip class and when it was chess day they would come. So, I brought them together and told them that chess is a sport and they must put their education first. We talk about how chess and school can be intertwined and the different skills help math or science, too. The teachers are now giving us a lot of support and we held a parent’s meeting at Thanda recently.

How did you first start playing chess?

I first learnt how to play chess in 1984 when I was 14 years old. Soccer was my first love, and cricket my second, but chess was my number three. Unfortunately, I hurt my leg when I was young so chess slowly grew to number one. In 2001 I started to attend workshops and was learning how to coach others.

How did you first get involved with Thanda?

By luck, I came here to Mtwalume with my wife and we went to the church where I asked what is the NPO Thanda was all about. Then, I came to the Community Centre and met Raah. He mentioned they do soccer, volleyball, netball, and other sports and I said “No those sports they are normal, don’t you have chess?” He said “we do have a board, but we don’t know how to use it.”

I was also working nightshift and would come to Thanda during the day. At night, I was doing freighting and machining. I am a certified freighter up to N4, but I didn’t finish because at the time it was too much money.

When I came to Thanda at first I would come once a week, then twice. We only had 12 kids at first, but at the end of the year Thanda offered me a full time position. My previous job was going to Cape Town and I didn’t want to go so far from my family. At first, I was an After-school Facilitator, too. Now, we do chess full-time with a big team.

What is your biggest challenge in life?

I have a younger sister and she did very well growing up. She went to tertiary school and got a diploma, but unfortunately she took a wrong turn and got very involved in drugs. Even now, she is still alive, but she is very absent. My family never hears from her. I see her once a year and she is struggling. It is tough for everyone in our family, but we hope someday she will get healthy again.

Another big challenge happened this year where two of our participants passed away. That was very hard because we are a close knit group.

My parents did a lot for us and hoped the best for us, so I want to make them proud. We recently had a big ceremony for their wedding anniversary. Our community is very supportive when you go through troubles. Smiso, here at Thanda, is my very good friend. We phone each other and talk about everything. We help each other through challenges.

What has chess taught you?

Chess helped me to have a healthy outlook on life…to be well-mannered and loyal. I have two kids and I have a responsibility to look after them. They are 25 and 16.

As a leader to the Thanda Chess Team, I lead by example. I don’t go to the pubs in our community because I want the kids to see me making responsible choices.

Last week I got to meet the children’s parents for the first time. It was very touching to hear how the parents support the programme. They are not worried if we have to go to an all-day tournament or overnight because they trust Thanda and support the programme.

What are you most proud of in life?

I am so happy and lucky to have both of my parents who have reached 70 years now.

I am also proud that last year, in 2017, two of our kids went to compete for provincials at a hotel for four nights in Durban. It was their first time to sleep in a hotel and they were receiving calls from their parents at night who were worried, but they were having such a good time. They also met kids of other races for the very first time. That was really special to witness them grow and have new experiences.

Now, we need to go to nationals. And then after that, an international tournament. I promise you, we will.

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