adminRumbidzai Ngwenya Features Writer
When children are born, the talents they possess are never known. Most begin to show at school and it is usually the role of the education system together with the parents to facilitate for the nurturing of such talents. But with the economic situation prevailing in the country, where most parents are struggling to provide basic education for their children, nurturing talent in sport becomes a luxury.
In many cases, especially in rural Zimbabwe, talents die and their existence become tales.
Eleven-year-old twin sisters Natalie and Natasha Choko possess a talent that is not only rare for children of their age, but also for girls.
They have become chess champions for all primary schools in Zimbabwe, after they took the game by storm since last year.
And now they are known as the “Chivhu Twins” in the chess playing fraternity.
Natalie and Natasha were born on June 15 2007 at Makumbe village under Chief Chivese in Chivhu, about 150km south of the capital.
The two do not share much resemblance as twins, but in chess they are even.
Natasha has never lost at any tournament since they started featuring in chess competitions and has won gold medals.
Natalie rarely got defeated, she has a mixture of gold and silver.
The only person who can beat Natalie is Natasha, as they sometimes face each other in the finals.
To this day, the two twin sisters stand as unconquered champions in primary schools chess competitions in Zimbabwe.
At only 11, the super twins are already in Grade Seven at Mudavanhu Primary School in their home area.
Just two years ago before the sport was introduced at the school, no one would have thought that such talent existed.
No one would even think that such talent would merge from such a rural school, but it has.
Natalie and Natasha have proven to be exceptional in chess.
Their journey started in 2017 when chess was first introduced at Mudavanhu Primary School by one visionary teacher, Godknows Dembure.
Soon after he spotted the talent in the girls, he quickly assembled a chess team.
In this team, the twins proved to be exceptional.
They mastered chess concepts in no time that Dembure saw the need to further nurture their blossoming talents.
Although the school had no chess materials, he took it upon himself to sponsor the girls at all tournaments since last year.
“I spotted the talent and I could not let it go to waste, the twins are extraordinary, you should see them play,” said Dembure.
“The girls are unstoppable and they make me proud as their coach. It is not every day when you see talent like this, especially from marginalised communities like ours.”
Dembure had been backing the two girls financially since last year, but now the burden weighs heavily on him as the girls have gotten so good that they are bound to represent Zimbabwe in upcoming regional competitions.
Birth certificates
“I can no longer afford to sponsor them at national level,” he said.
“I have since approached the responsible authorities, but as it stands nothing positive has come of it and it breaks my heart to see such talent going to waste.”
Last year when Zimbabwe hosted the All-Africa School Chess Championships, the girls won, but could not go and represent Zimbabwe in Egypt because they did not have birth certificates and sponsorship to travel.
They never lost hope though.
This year, the girls went to play at the Plumtree national selection tournament in March where they went on to win.
They are supposed to go to South Africa in June this year and later to Tanzania in August to play for the national team.
But financial constraints continue to dampen their dreams.
As talented as they are, the twins lack sponsorship, and their situation is compounded by the fact that they come from a poor family.
They live with their grandmother at Makumbe village while their unemployed parents live in Harare.
Catering for the twins and their sibling’s education is already a burden for the family.
Their grandmother, a peasant farmer, has no means of raising money. All she does is wait for support from her unemployed children.
Besides passports to enable them to represent Zimbabwe abroad, the twins also need food, accommodation and air fares.
And, if no sponsorship is found for the two, the talent will die like many have in the past.
“Our dream is to be recognised in the chess world,” said Natasha. “We know a lot of people who have made it in life because of sport and we want to be like them.
“We want to be able to take care of ourselves and our family through chess.”
Like many rural schools, Mudavanhu Primary School is fighting for its survival and nurturing such talents becomes a mirage.
With almost every parent in rural Chivhu struggling to pay $15 school fees for their children per term, the school strives to survive on the little it gets.
The school has no capacity to sponsor Natalie and Natasha, as many parents at the school go for years without paying fees.
For Natalie and Natasha, chess could be the only ticket they have to a better future.
There are many women in the world who have made names in sport and Natalie and Natasha are determined to be part of this group.
The twins are not only good at chess, but in their schoolwork as well, such that if they can get the support they need, they could have the best education and a better future.
If their talents can be nurtured they can afford to pursue their education, which is now under threat because of their poor background.
In only less than two years, the twins boast a collection of more than 10 medals each, broken down as follows:
In Bindura last year, Natasha won Gold and Natalie Silver
At Windview, Natasha Gold and Natalie Silver.
PASSAF, Natalie Gold and Natasha Silver.
NAPH provincial, Natasha Gold and Natalie Silver.
Goldridge Kwekwe Spring Chess Festival, Natasha Gold and Natalie Bronze.
Naph National, Natasha Gold and Natalie silver.
All-Africa, Natasha Silver and Natalie Bronze.
Not only do the twins want to raise Mudavanhu Primary School’s name, but they want to fly Zimbabwe’s flag high.
But, most importantly, they want to show the world that even among under-privileged families and rural schools there is talent galore.
Online Reporter