Chess sets availed to schools
by Staff Reporter
29 October 2009
WINDHOEK – Bank Windhoek handed over 550 chess sets to the Namibian Chess Federation (NCF).
The equipment will be handed over to the Namibian Schools Sport Union (NSSU) whereupon it would be distributed amongst 100 needy schools in the south.
“Chess has proven to improve the cognitive skills of children. Therefore, Bank Windhoek is proud to support this undertaking as the sets given to the NCF will facilitate improvements in the memory, concentration and time management skills of over 1000 children in many schools in the south,” said Bank Windhoek’s head of Corporate Communication and Social Investment, Riaan van Rooyen.
“Chess for Namibia means a smarter Namibian nation,” added the president of the Namibia Chess Federation Max Nitzborn, who further elaborated that the NCF is trying to implement chess as a subject in schools.
“It has been proven without doubt that playing chess enhances the academic performance of children,” said Nitzborn.
The NCF has undertaken to develop children’s skills in chess by sending grand masters from the NCF to travel around the country teaching and identifying raw talent that can be trained and mentored into grand masters, to represent Namibia internationally.
Recently, chess players from various schools across the country competed in South Africa and won a bronze medal.
With the support of Bank Windhoek, the NCF in 2008 distributed 1000 chess sets to schools in the northern region and more than 2000 children benefited from this venture.
Source: http://www.newera.com.na
Does the USCF give out free sets?
These sorts of projects are very worthwhile. While chess is without doubt something all youngsters should be introduced to it’s astonishing to know that in some places chess sets are not available. Given that a basic plastic set can be manufactured for a few pence these days there is no reason why even the poorest communities shouldn’t be able to learn the game.