Chess(ing) glory for 10-year-old school girl

Bret Kamutenga

WHILE her peers are pestering their parents to buy them the latest smartphones and electronic gadgets, 10-year-old Babongile Chelsea Mushonga is dreaming big.

Her dream- a scary one for most people- to square off against some of the best chess players in the world is finally coming to fruition.

Young Mushonga is headed for Greece to meet the crème de la crème of the game.

Only about US$5 000 stands between her and her dream as she needs the money to travel to the southernmost country in Europe.  She is scheduled to represent Zimbabwe at the Fide World School Chess Championships in Rhodes, Greece, in April.

This is her story.

A leading chess player in the Under 12 girls category, Mushonga started playing the game when she was six years old after her father taught her how to play the game.

Her first chess competition was in 2018 when she was in Early Childhood Development (ECD) B at Coghlan Primary School where she competed at the Bulawayo Polytechnic and won a bronze medal and a certificate.

Coghlan Primary School

The second tournament she attended was at Founders High School the following year where she again won a bronze medal.

Founders High School

She has participated and dominated in past competitions since January 2022.

Alpha Mathe, the director and coach at Ally Chess Academy, which is based in Victoria Falls, said Mushonga is a passionate chess player with a bright future.

The youngster joined Ally Chess Academy in August and she has participated in major tournaments.
She played at National University of Science and Technology (NUST) and won a gold medal.

NUST

Babongile is the four-time gold medallist in the girls Under-12 category.

To make her trip to Greece, the talented young chess player needs over US$5 000 for accommodation, food and other travel related costs. Her mother Sokuluhle Ndlovu will also travel to the European country since Mushonga is a minor.

The competition will run from 13 to 23 April. For assistance you can get in touch with Ndlovu on 0775669882

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