Movie fundraiser to help girls

Celebrating the International Day of Girls and Children’s Day, the Girl Guides Association of Trinidad and Tobago (GGATT ) and the Trinidad and Tobago Chess Association (TT CA) joined forces to launch a 2016 fundraiser. The GGATT organisation has been in existence 102 years and stands on the fundamental values of developing female leaders with “duty to God and service to country.” The TT CA celebrated its 80th anniversary this year while maintaining that the sport is a vehicle that can transform lives.

This event launched the fundraiser which will be the TT movie premiere of Disney’s Queen of Katwe, a movie about a young Ugandan girl who, despite not knowing how to read and write, learns the game of chess and advances her community in so doing. The event will take place at MovieTowne on November 15 at 7.30 pm with a contribution price of $150. Pre-show activities will be held and there are prizes to be won. All proceeds will go to GGATT with a contribution made to the TT CA.

Funds raised will aid in “more training of leaders to work with our girls and ensure that we increase our membership, also the completion of our beautiful camp-site and facilities… we have a camp-site that is breathtaking but we have not been able to get the kind of finances to make it habitable” said president of GGATT , Jennifer M Johnson.

Also in attendance, was president of TT CA, Sonja Johnson.

Eager to partner in this project, she stated, “It is imperative that the TT CA focuses its efforts to reverse the trend of non participation and to build a country of female chess players to hold their own on any and every level, however, we need to expand our base.” She continued saying, “Therefore in my opinion we could not find a better partner than Girl Guides Association.” Keva Doyle, public relations coordinator for GGATT , emphasised the all-inclusive nature of the organisation with girls representing all parts of the country and a myriad of religious backgrounds.

Ending off the event with the launch of the fundraiser, Doyle quoted, The Queen of Katwe, stating, “Sometimes the place you are used to is not the place you belong. To be a champion, you have to step out of your comfort zone and challenge yourself.” The United Nations declared October 11 as the International Day of the Girl back in 2011. Children’s Day is observed on November 20.