Alliance One, Pyxus commit K28 million for chess

Alliance One Tobacco in collaboration with Pyxus Agriculture Limited and Imperial Brands of United Kingdom has increased sponsorship of the Chess School Project being implemented by the Chess Association of Malawi (Chessam) in some 21 rural based primary schools in the central and northern regions to over K28 million.

Chessam in collaboration with the two companies launched this project some four years ago at a tune of K2.1 million as a pilot initiative in two primary schools in Dowa, since then management of the two companies have been increasing the financial sponsorship annually, a development that has also increased the number of participating schools to 21 this year. The project aims at developing the sport at grassroots level in the country’s rural areas.

Speaking during this year’s financial sponsorship’s agreement signing ceremony in Lilongwe on Friday Alliance, One Tobacco Malawi Managing Director Simon Peverelle said his company in collaboration with Pyxus Agriculture Limited decided to increase the financial sponsorship of the project to around K28 million because so far the program is achieving its intended goals of developing the sport in the country’s rural areas especially among school going children.

“We have committed ourselves to continue supporting Chessam because our aim is to eradicate the probability of children being involved in child labour issues in tobacco growing areas especially after school hours. Unlike football which is a sport where one can easily get injured, chess is a smart game without any physical involvement hence a good sport for school going children,” said Peverelle.

According to Peverelle, chess has proved to be a sport that improves thinking capacity of its participants through among other issues gaining quick knowledge of the game, improving problem solving skills, critical thinking as well as decision making in their daily endeavors.

He disclosed that management of the two companies are glad that the project has been extended to more schools including the two primary schools of Chafisi and Luhemelo in Mzimba, a development he said would enhance the sport across the country’s rural areas where very few have its technical ability.

“Chess is one indoor sport which helps kids to think fast and in the process master problem solving techniques which I believe will also help the kids from the 21 selected primary schools to do the same and perform better in class,” he said.

 

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