04 Aug 2014

Botswana Chess Federation (BCF) has opened the second Debswana Re Ba Bona Ha centre in Francistown. 

The centre, which started operating in 2013, was officially launched by Botswana National Sports Council (BNSC) vice chairperson, Professor Martin Mokgwathi and other officials from the BNSC and BCF at Our Lady of the Desert Primary School on August 2.

Its aim was to groom and develop the mushrooming chess talent amongst young players in the northern part of the country.

The first Debswana Re Ba Bona-Ha Chess Centre was launched at Diphetogo Primary School based in Gaborone West in 2012 when chess joined the Re Ba Bona-Ha programme, sponsored by Debswana Mining Company and BNSC. 

The centre now boasts of 50 children aged between five and 13 assembled during the week to train and play chess. 

BNSC vice chairperson, Prof. Mokgwathi explained that sports needed hardworking individuals who can be able to identify raw talent and nurture it to produce champions who can compete internationally.

“BNSC and Debswana want to make Botswana a hub of sports excellence which would produce competitive athletes internationally,” he explained.

Thus, he applauded Debswana for their generous sponsorship noting that it had grown since 2002 while the diamond company has also promised P3 million over three years.

The centre, he added, was in line with BNSC’s Vision 2028 which aims to ensure that every town had a sporting code which students can take part in.

He said as the BNSC, they were taking sports to every corner of the country hence the centre would afford Francistown students the opportunity to play chess.

Prof. Mokgwathi encouraged parents to support students who take part in sporting activities, noting that it was possible to balance sports and academics.

He also thanked BCF for introducing chess, especially to those students who had never encountered it before.

Further, he indicated that the centre could only succeed with parental involvement in students’ sporting activities and their studies.

On other issues, he applauded volunteer coaches who had been sacrificing their time to teach students chess.

“While they don’t get anything in return in future they might get rewarded,” he noted.

Sports, he noted, was no longer a hobby, but rather a business and a way of life.

BCF treasurer, Gofaone Baleseng said the Debswana Re Ba Bona Ha centre has already produced a national chess champion in the under 12 category, Onnetse Rankwane who will later this year represent the country in the world championships in South Africa. Baleseng added that their federation did not only develop students, but also their coaches.

That, he said was in line with the BNSC strategy and Vision 2028 which endeavoured to have players who earn a living through their sporting talent.

Through the Debswana sponsorship, he explained that they wanted to open other centres around the country and focus on development.

Our Lady of the Desert school head, Margret Hunyepa said when the school started participating in chess they did not have any support but persevered until students managed to win medals in competitions.

Their partnership with the Botswana Primary Schools Sports Association (BOPSSA), she noted, had borne fruit as students from the school have been doing well.

She also thanked the sponsors and parents for their support, noting that the centre would assist in the development of chess in Francistown. ENDS