Jungle Pepper urge parents to engage kids in chess
Pizza maker Jungle Pepper has urged parents to enhance their children’s mental and intellectual development by engaging them in chess.
Jungle Pepper managing director Carla Fernandez said this on Saturday after launching a chess development project for kids at their premises at Chichiri Shopping Mall in Blantyre, where about 10 kids underwent chess lessons from chess instructors Margaret Ngugama, Joseph Chalemba, Makhosi Nyirenda and Kissinger Kabuluzi.
Fernandez said she was inspired to sponsor the chess lessons for the children after noting rapid intellectual improvements her seven-year-old son Marcio has made since he started playing the mental sport.
“My son showed much more composure and patience when playing his moves on the chess board. So, as a direct response to his newly found passion, I contacted the Chess Association of Malawi (Chessam) so that I can help more kids to improve their mental capabilities,” said Fernandez.
She said her involvement in development chess is also as a result of a recent survey in Venezuela which showed that chess-playing students scored more in examinations than the non-playing ones.
“I want our kids to reach a level where they can engage into more logical play. This can help kids on concentration in class and increase their memory capacity.
“Let us involve our kids in the right games that can make them more responsible citizens. I, therefore, urge more parents to get their kids into chess,” she said.
According to Nyirenda, who is also the Southern Region Chess League’s (SRCL) publicist, parents can register their children for the Jungle Pepper Kids’ Chess Lessonsnext Saturday at a K10 000 fee each.
“We will be doing this every Saturday. Each participant will receive beginner’s chess DVDs and the best performers of each lesson will be getting free Pizza,” said Nyirenda.
