Reach For a Dream Foundation made yet another dream come true when the organization, together with Simbithi Eco Estate hosted five-year old Smelokuhle Zwane from Vryheid for a game of chess with a difference.
Reach For a Dream is a nonprofit organization that fulfills the dreams of children between the ages of three and 18 who have been diagnosed as having a life-threatening illness. Reach For a Dream believes in the power of dreams and encourages children to use their dreams to fight life-threatening illnesses, according to Dream Co-coordinator, Nicole Kitchen.
Smelokuhle was diagnosed in November 2013 with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia and is currently in Durban for treatment. “When Reach For a Dream assessed Smelokuhle on the 2nd of May 2014, we found out that Smelokhule’s dream was for a brand new chess set of his own,” she said. Kitchen came up with the idea to embellish his dream at Simbithi Eco Estate and have him play a game on the giant-sized chess board at the Heron Community Centre at Simbithi Eco Estate.
Simbithi Eco Estate gladly agreed to help and went on to arrange for his access onto the estate to play chess with his parents, followed by an exciting round of adventure golf and a picnic arranged by the Simbithi Country Club.
General Manager at Simbithi Eco Estate, Steve van Greunen, said he was honoured to have played a part in making a child’s dream come true. “Smelokuhle and his family had a wonderful day at the estate and it was a privilege to host them,” he said. “In fact Smelokuhle said he wanted to visit Simbithi every time he was down in Durban for treatment.”
Kitchen said that never in her life had she met a five-year old who could play chess, let alone love it as much as Smelokuhle did. Reach For a Dream would like to thank Simbithi Estate for their warm welcome, and willingness to help make Smelokuhle‘s dream come true. “We look forward to working with them again in the future to make many more dreams come true,” said Kitchen.