CHESS 4 HOPE
South Africa 4 Plymouth Road Rye, NY 10580 Phone: (914)-391-0922 Fax: (914)-967-9582 E-Mail: zach.schonberger@gmail.com Web: www.ikamva.com
Partnering Communities in Development
The Chess 4 Hope Program Executive Summary The social and school support systems are failing South Africa’s youth and leaving them not only with an underdeveloped social and educational foundation, but with little hope for their future. With that in mind, Chess 4 Hope was founded in April, 2007 with the belief that by exposing children in the underserved townships of Cape Town, South Africa to the ancient game and art of chess, it could broadly and effectively impact the development of disadvantaged youth. Research has clearly documented the value of Chess to a child’s academic and social growth (evidence so impressive that it prompted Idaho to adopt chess into its curriculum this past year). Chess has been proven to boost memory retention, develop critical thinking skills, improve concentration, and promote creativity and imagination. Furthermore, it instills a sense of respect among players. In an environment where children are inevitably exposed to violence, substance abuse, and crime, chess provides a positive social outlet; a stimulating and wholesome activity that can empower South Africa’s disadvantaged youth and help them cope with the many adversities they face – both large and small.
Objectives ! ! ! !
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To increase children’s grades through developing mental acuity and improving concentration levels To improve the behavior of children through developing patience and their sense of respect toward themselves and toward others To facilitate after-school programs/teams for children to allow them to have fun, learn and grow in a safe and nurturing environment To train and empower Chess 4 Hope’s community-based teachers to implement a standardized chess curriculum to implement a standardized life-skills curriculum To build self-esteem through local, provincial and national chess competitions, while at the same time exposing our children to new people and situations
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The Problem The legacy of Apartheid in present day South Africa is unmistakable. Across all sectors, South Africa is rife with imbalances. Economic, educational and occupational inequalities persist. Although recent efforts at wealth redistribution have succeeded in creating a small black upper class, for most South Africans the disparity does not appear to be significantly shrinking. Bridging the gap means investing in youth, particularly the most disadvantaged. Only then can we hope to forge a just and prosperous South Africa. The youth in the townships of South Africa face serious challenges at home, in their communities and in their schools. The pervading culture of gang violence and substance abuse, high levels of unemployment and HIV/AIDS, coupled with a poor education system, have left youth vulnerable and subject to significant developmental shortcomings. Education is a key to addressing the capacity building of South Africa’s disadvantaged youth. Schools in the townships of South Africa suffer from insufficient funding, poor teacher quality, and overcrowding. But these are just the tip of the iceberg. In South Africa, educational inefficiencies have been exacerbated by the lingering effects of its Apartheid history. Educational policy founded on racial and ethnic segregation stifled the development of the majority of South Africans and was used as a vehicle to ensure Apartheid control. As Alan Hirsch writes in Season of Hope, “Apartheid education policy set back human capital creation more than a generation. Despite the many policy shifts imposed by the post-Apartheid government, it has largely failed to overcome the structural imbalances embedded in its education system. An October, 2008 report by The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) found that “major infrastructural deficits, lack of democratic procedures, imbalanced curricular policy, poor teacher education and very unsatisfactory provision of teaching materials,: are just some of the issues that continue to prevail. Knowing the facts, what can be done to turn the tide? The response needs to be both timely and
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effective. Certainly, no solution precludes the mobilization of greater government resources to grow and improve the quality of the teaching workforce, limit administrative corruption and mismanagement, and improve school infrastructures more broadly. But there is also a need for creative and innovative solutions to supplement the larger structural transformations.
The Beginning Zach Schonberger, a volunteer with Ikamva Labantu, decided to address this problem by creating Chess 4 Hope. Beginning in April 2007, Chess 4 Hope began using chess as an educational tool and vehicle for youth development through in-school and extracurricular programs. Through a nurturing and positive environment, the program sought not just to facilitate academic and social growth, but to build self-esteem as well. The structure for Chess 4 Hope derives from two existing models. The first, Hoops 4 Hope, a successful non-profit organization that uses basketball as a vehicle to impart life-skills, provides the basic model that Chess 4 Hope employs in its relationship with Townships Schools. Furthermore, it provides the foundation for Chess 4 Hope’s current and future life-skills initiatives through Skills 4 Life, Hoops 4 Hope’s unique life-skills curriculum based on years of work and development centered around HIV awareness. Chess 4 Hope incorporates life-skills into its program in recognition that although chess itself is beneficial in aiding a child’s responsible and intelligent development, it alone cannot replace proper knowledge and understanding of the challenges that face South Africa’s youth: HIV/AIDS, substance abuse, violence, etc. The second is “Chess in the Schools.” Chess 4 Hope bases its core structure and teachings on this successful organization which operates in New York City and is dedicated to improving academic performance among innercity public school children through structured classroom, after-school, and weekend chess programs. Of particular importance is its documented success with helping to break the hold that gangs have over children enrolled in their programs. Furthermore, Chess 4 Hope has also been privileged to receive mentorship from David MacEnulty, the
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impressive businessman turned teacher who helped create Chess in the Schools, and whose story was the basis for “Knights of the South Bronx,� a movie documenting the extraordinarily positive effects of integrating chess into the daily lives of the disadvantaged children he taught. Using these models, Chess 4 Hope established its first two pilot programs in Gugulethu, South Africa, a Township of Cape Town. Thirty Grade Two learners from Lwazi Primary School and thirty Grade Two learners from Xolani Primary School received four hours of chess instruction per week as part of an extra-curricular program. Under the expert tutelage of Walter July, the children flourished both on the board and in the classroom. Teachers reported behavioral improvements, enhanced concentration levels and improved test results.
Expansion The overwhelming success prompted the schools to adopt chess into their curriculum school-wide beginning in January, 2008. With the understanding that the implementation of such a program would be difficult and require constant adjustment and flexibility, Chess 4 Hope elected to begin a pilot program with one school, Xolani Primary, with the intention of expanding to Lwazi Primary School and beyond once a successful school-wide model had been established. Thus, the after-school program continued unaltered for students at Lwazi Primary who were already enrolled, while the pilot program at Xolani Primary was established. With the cooperation of the teachers, a schedule was agreed upon with Xolani Primary under which each class, Grades Two through Seven, would receive two hours of mandatory chess instruction per week. By mid-2008, teachers were once again overwhelmed by the academic improvement and behavioral development of their students. Having hired a full-time director and a second full time chess teacher, and with a viable model in place, Chess 4 Hope expanded to Lwazi Primary School and Observatory Primary School in July 2008. The program at
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Observatory Primary School was funded entirely by Truworths, a major South African retailer, after they witnessed first-hand the results Chess 4 Hope was having in participating schools. For the second half of the school year (July-November), all Grade Three students in both schools received mandatory chess twice a week for two hours as part of each school’s curriculum. An after-school program also took place once a week at each school. By the end of 2008, the program had grown to include two full time chess teachers, three schools and nearly 800 participants.
Impact of the Program so Far Tournaments By the beginning of 2008, 20 of the students who had begun playing in 2007 were advanced enough to attend provincial training tournaments. From these tournaments, two of the twenty learners were selected to be Western Province Chess Players and will compete in Nationals in December 2008. On the 21st of June 2008 approximately 170 players participated in the first Western Province sanctioned tournament to take place in the Townships in nearly ten years. It was organized by Chess 4 Hope in conjunction with Western Province chess. Chess 4 Hope was delighted that children from its program won the top three places in the under 12 division.
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Most recently, on the 20th of September 2008 approximately 300 players of different age groups, from three different schools, participated in the first Chess 4 Hope tournament. Regular chess tournaments will be an important staple of the Chess 4 Hope program as a way to reward children for their efforts, encourage them to work harder, and provide them with aspiration for their future.
Results Chess for Hope personnel have also observed children playing chess in the Townships during their spare time, not only practicing with student peers, but teaching friends and parents as well. Parents have also cited an improvement in their children’s levels of concentration and with it, the time dedicated to their studies. Furthermore, both parents and teachers alike have noted that their children have been in less trouble as a result, the importance of which cannot be overlooked when considering the activities youth can be, and are, exposed to in their communities.
“I have about 40 learners in my class. At first they were very noisy and uncontrollable, but as the months went by I noticed their behavior had changed. They are very focused on their work and can write their numeracy with ease. I say thank you to Walter for
Teachers have also reported increased use of the library among children participating in Chess 4
helping them, especially Thabile Letlala and Abenathi Ngwane,
Hope’s program. The extensive use of books during
because they are not staying with their parents, and when it is
chess classes has changed prevailing attitudes
chess lesson you see the smile in their faces. “
towards reading. Children have started to view
- Miss Nabe, Grade 3 teacher, Xolani Primary School
reading as a fun activity, rather than as a chore.
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Activities for 2009 Objectives !
Standardize and effectively implement a life-skills component to the Chess 4 Hope program.
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Enroll two new schools in Chess 4 Hope. Host several large-scale tournaments that draw children of all backgrounds and skill-levels in an effort to promote unity and integration. Commission a comprehensive professional monitoring and evaluation analysis. Provide continued training and mentorship for Chess 4 Hope’s Chess facilitators through attendance at professional teacher training courses. Seek out mutually beneficial partnerships with individuals, organizations, and businesses to improve efficiency and facilitate growth.
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Refining the Approach After a year of pilot programs Chess 4 Hope is now able to define, at the core level, just how a viable model needs to be structured. The conclusions are as follows:
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Chess must be integrated into the school’s curriculum for it to have the greatest impact. The most effective age to begin school chess instruction (in the communities Chess 4 Hope works) is Grade Three. One teacher is needed for every two schools. Each teacher is assigned to two grades and facilitates the after-school program/chess team at each school.
In 2009, Chess 4 Hope will continue to operate programs with current partner schools as well as expand its reach to two additional schools, Zingesa Primary School and Fazeka High School. Furthermore, extracurricular classes will carry on with youth from Ikamva Labantu’s Vulnerable Children’s Program (includes children who are either orphaned or live in extreme poverty).
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Life-skills Curriculum In addition to Chess 4 Hope’s chess curriculum, and in conjunction with Hoops 4 Hope, students will receive formal life-skills training. With its two-headed approach, Chess 4 Hope intends to provide children with all the tools necessary for a successful transition into adulthood. Life-skills training will be a compulsory supplement to both chess lessons and all Chess 4 Hope tournaments. During a typical 60 minute chess lesson, children will spend 15 minutes in the “Life-skills circle”, where they engage in activities, exercises, and role-plays designed to help them identify, become familiar with, and ultimately overcome the challenges they face in their daily lives. Life-skills Covered:
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assertiveness empathy, interpersonal relations self-awareness and self-esteem problem solving effective communication negotiation critical thinking parenting (for older children)
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coping with stress basic home management (for older children) creative thinking coping with emotions formation of friendships peer resistance decision making non-violent conflict resolution
Monitoring and Evaluation (M & E) In conjunction with an Ikamva Labantu sanctioned professional M & E advisor, Chess 4 Hope will undergo a comprehensive participatory monitoring and evaluation analysis. This process will begin with a baseline analysis consisting of a quantitative survey of students’ past and present academic record, as well as an observational analysis of student’s behavior. The collection and analysis of information will seek to measure the overall impact of the project. Furthermore, M & E exercise will assess the administration, organization and structure of Chess 4 Hope so that shortcomings and inefficiencies are effectively addressed and not replicated upon expansion.
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Beneficiaries 2008 School
Grade (Age)
Number of Students
Xolani Primary School Lwazi Primary School Observatory High School Vulnerable Children’s Program
Entire School (7-14) Grade 3 (8-9) Grade 3 (8-9) Grades 3-11 (8-16)
520 150 82 20
Total:
772
2009 School
Grade (Age)
Number of Students
Xolani Primary School Zingesa Primary School Lwazi Primary School Fazeka High School Observatory High School Vulnerable Children’s Program
Grades 3 and 4 (8-10) Grades 3 and 4 (8-10) Grades 3 and 4 (8-10) Grades 10 and 11 (15-16) Grades 3 and 4 (8-10) Grades 3-11 (8-16)
270 300 300 40 300 20
Total:
1230
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Financials Following is the budget outline of the proposed activities that will be carried out in period January-December 2009: Description Personnel Costs Project Manager Total Personnel Costs Operational Costs Facility maintenance After school refreshments Materials (workbooks) Program promotional costs Total Operational Costs Training & Development Chess training Mentorship and capacity building of Chess Teachers Life skills curriculum Staff skills development training Total Training & Development Costs Tournament costs External Tournaments and Workshops Internal Workshops Western Province Nationals External Tournaments (for Chess 4 Hope senior team) Total Tournament Costs SUBTOTAL Other Costs Contingency costs Monitoring & Evaluation Admin Fee @ 10% Total Other Costs
GRAND TOTAL
Budget in ZAR
Budget in USD
92,902 92,902
9,290 9,290
2,100 19,200 12,000 2,000 35,300
210 1,920 1,200 200 3,530
133,446 16,394 10,000 12,300 172,140
13,345 1,639 1,000 1,230 17,214
22,500 8,000 15,000 1,500 47,000 347,342
2,250 800 1,500 150 4,700 34,734
12,000 10,000 36,934 58,934 406,276
1,200 1,000 3,693 5,893 40,628
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Introduction to Ikamva Labantu (The Future of our People) Ikamva Labantu has a solid track record with 45 years of community development experience. Emphasis is placed on empowering community members and on projects becoming independent and self-sustainable. This is achieved through education, capacity building, resource development and partnerships. Ikamva Labantu’s vision is to strengthen and support affiliated community-based organizations in their own growth and development, affirming their proactive role in the community. Ikamva Labantu provides four core services: !
Education and Skills Development
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Food Security and Enterprise Development
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Primary Health Care Interventions
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Providing Land and Buildings
These core services are delivered across a number of programs, namely: !
Early Childhood Development and Development Through Play
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Family Services Sector, Foster Care and Vulnerable Children Program
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Home-Based and Community-Based Care
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Seniors
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Youth
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Economic Empowerment Programs
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Agricultural projects in urban and rural communities
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Visually Impaired – literacy, computer skills, aromatherapy and reflexology training
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Community Creations – hand-crafted items (training and manufacturing)
Ikamva Labantu’s tagline, ‘Partnering communities in development,’ reflects the philosophy of its approach to uplift, capacitate and empower communities. During the course of the past five years, Ikamva Labantu has aided the development of over 500,000 people. Appendix one: Details the Governance and Management of Ikamva Labantu “Friends of Ikamva Labantu” is a non-profit 501(c)(3) corporation established in the USA in 1994 to assist Ikamva Labantu with its vision.