Re ba bona ha launched in F/town
Shingirai Madondo | Monday August 4, 2014 16:53
He was speaking at the launch of the Re Ba Bona Ha programme in Francistown.
“Through Re Ba Bona Ha chess initiative the sport has gained access to villages and localities such as Kasane, Shakawe, Kanye, Masunga, and Gantsi we now in Francistown. The centre will not only serve as a home for those with the desire to become the next Boikhutso Mudongo or Phemelo Kheto but also a destination for young chess players to share learning and experience.
“This shows that the programme is taking the sport to all kids in the country and not only focusing in towns and cities,” he said adding that the number of kids who are taking part in the programme is also increasing as a result of its spread to other areas, though he did not provide readily available figures.
The programme will be run at ‘Our Lady of the Desert’ primary school with the diamond miner providing equipment.
Nearly P35 000 worth of equipment has so far been availed for the programme. The mine will continue assisting whenever there is need for the duration of the sponsorship.
The chairperson also implored the Francistown community to ensure that their children benefit from the newly launched chess programme by encouraging them to take part.“They should not only support their children to take part in chess. They should support the children to utilise development structures for other sports codes as well,” said Mokgwathi.
The Botswana Chess Federation (BCF) will avail a qualified coach at the newly launched centre a step hugely commended by the BNSC. According to the BCF spokesperson Neoyame Katisenge, the aim of the centre is to groom and cater for the mushrooming chess talent amongst the young players in the northern part of the country.
The move by the diamond miner to support the opening a centre in Francistown will also help the government and the BNSC to achieve its vision to spread sports to all corners of the country by 2028 according to Mokgwathi.
The relationship between Debswana and Re Ba Bona Ba started in 2008 when the company issued P1.7 million for three years. The sponsorship was renewed in 2011 with P2 million for another three years. When the grassroots sports programme, Re Ba Bona Ha, was launched in 2002, it featured football only.
However, other codes such as boxing, softball, rugby, basketball, cricket, karate, athletics, chess, volleyball, tennis and judo were later taken on board.
Re Ba Bona Ha is a development initiative targeting kids participating in various sports codes. It helps kids learn and master their respective sports codes techniques from an earlier age.