The Kasparov Chess Foundation Africa (KCF-A) on Friday announced that one of the recipients of its 2015 study grants will be a Rwandan senior two student, Hyacinthe Igirimbabazi. Last December, the Foundation’s board unanimously voted to continue with the awarding of academic study grants to “specially deserving members” of the African chess community, said Graham Jurgensen, the executive director. The Foundation received a number of applications from across the continent and after considering all of them, it authorised the award of three study grants for the 2015 academic year. The other 2015 recipients are George Githui, from Kenya, and Liteboho Mohatlane of Lesotho. George and Liteboho were awarded grants of $1,000 while Igirimbabazi will receive a grant of $500 as tuition for a year. Who is Igirimbabazi? The first born of a disadvantaged family of six, Igirimbabazi, 15, is a girl passionate about the game of Chess. She started learning and playing in 2012 together with two of her younger siblings at a Chess club in Kanombe, Kigali, before her family relocated to Kamonyi District. The senior two student of College St. Bernard, a secondary school in Gisagara District, Southern Province, has been teaching Chess to fellow students, even though the school has no requisite equipment such as boards. She uses the few Chess books she has to teach others. The grant, according to Kevin Ganza, the acting president of the Rwanda Chess Federation, “is significant given her circumstances” and will enable Igirimbabazi to complete her education while also pursuing her love for chess. “They (KCF-A) considered the amount of tuition fee at her school and this amount will cover all her tuition needs and basics for the whole year. It is important as her family is poor and could struggle to get fees,” Ganza, who knows the family, said. “When the school term resumes, we intend to request her school to allow us to officially launch the game there. We hope to motivate other students there, especially the girls, to play. Igirimbabazi, on her own, has been doing a commendable job, trying to teach her classmates.” Githui, a student at the University of Nairobi, has elevated the levels of chess arbitration in Kenya. He started playing chess while in high school before becoming the coach of St. Mary’s Chess club while working at the school after completing his secondary education. He captains the University of Nairobi Chess Club and recently acquired his FIDE Arbiter title – and becoming only the second Kenyan to achieve this. He will use the grant to continue his studies towards his goal of qualifying for a BSc Degree in Computer Science. Mohatlane started playing chess when he got to high school in 2008. In 2009 he emerged second in Lesotho’s national championships before winning the national championship and maintaining the title until 2013. He will use the funds to continue his university education.
