Thanks to the generosity of strangers, supporters and do-gooders, one of the countrys brightest young chess stars, Imkhitha Joya, is officially one step closer to her dream, reports Cape town Etc .
The 14-year-old South African U14 Girls Chess Champion, who swept the Western Cape High Schools U15 Girls section in the Junior Closed Chess Championships, has set her sights on becoming a Woman International Master, and eventually a grandmaster.
Hindered by financial constraints and a lack of time to raise enough funds, Imkhitha was forced to miss three major continental tournaments. Despite these setbacks, her CHESSA rating now stands at 1811, making her the top-ranked U14 girl and 6th overall among female players in South Africa.
Now with two new opportunities to represent South Africa on the international stage, Imkhithas coach and mentor, Thando Hlakula, launched a BackaBuddy campaig n last month to raise R94 100 to get her to Albania for the World Youth Chess Championships and Algeria for the African Youth Chess Championships, both set to take place later this year.
Inspired by her will to challenge what people think is possible for young girls in townships and her sheer determination to achieve her dream, several media outlets shared her story - and the response has been nothing short of amazing.