Pictures by Ruvimbo Muchenje

From left Ruramai Tapambwa (10), Grace Zvarebwa (8) coach Godknows Dembure, Lyne Chidanire (8) and Natasha Choko (12).The chess team that is set to represent Zimbabwe at the 2019 African Youth Chess Championship in Windhoek Namibia pose for a picture with their coach (middle) in Harare on Thursday.

A go fund me on twitter made a breakthrough for the 4member chess team by raising usd 5k in less than 24hours.

Queens Of Chivhu Coach Godknows Dembure

Speaking during a press conference , the coach, Mr Godknows Dembure said this was his last resort to mobilise resources for the team as he had moved from pillar to post without much relief.

“We knocked on doors of different cooperates, wrote letters but to no avail. I then decided to write on twitter a day after the due date and within hours we had bagged USD 5000,” he said.

The team is now in Windhoek for the tournament.

The team started off with just a chess board made from cardboard box made of clay.

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Dambure, a graduate from Seke Teachers’ College, deployed to Mudavanhu primary school near Chivhu said it was difficult for him to train the children who were hungry.

He went on to thank Vamara Group through its subsidiary Sunrise brand for donating foodstuffs to these incapacitated groups.

“I have no words to thank Sunrise, they took their time to come to our institution and donated this porridge which is all new to my chess class,” he said.

Natasha Choko (12)

The oldest in the team, Natasha Choko, said the team appreciated the gesture cannot be matched with any words.

“We are hoping that Sunrise gives us more porridge,”she said.

Moses Mwapfaa Vamara Group

Vamara Group Marketing Manager, Moses Mwapfaa under which Sunrise Brands falls says this is start of something great and they will stand with the Queens.

“We will continue with this initiative funds permitting,” said Mwapfaa.

All four team members have passports, two of which have acquired Emergency traveling documents for this tournament.