{"id":37431,"date":"2024-04-26T23:07:37","date_gmt":"2024-04-26T23:07:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/chessinslumsafrica.com\/?p=37431"},"modified":"2024-04-26T23:07:37","modified_gmt":"2024-04-26T23:07:37","slug":"breaking-the-world-record-with-babatunde-onakoya","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/chessinslumsafrica.com\/our-stories\/breaking-the-world-record-with-babatunde-onakoya\/","title":{"rendered":"Breaking The World Record With Babatunde Onakoya: 60 hours of making a difference"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Convener of Chess in Slums Africa, Babatunde Onakoya recently undertook a remarkable challenge: breaking the Guinness World Record for the longest chess marathon which held in New York\u2019s Times Square from Wednesday, April 17th, 2024, to Saturday, April 20th, 2024.<\/p>\n

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This incredible feat which was supposed to last 58 hours lasted 60 hours beating the previous record of 56 hours set by Sjur Ferkinstad and Hallvard Haug Flatebo in 2018. This attempt was accomplished by Babatunde Onakoya alongside Shawn Martinez, a national master and esteemed chess coach in the United States.<\/p>\n

This endeavor was beyond mere record-breaking aspirations; it was a concerted effort to raise $1,000,000 for providing education to out-of-school children across Africa. Shockingly, over\u00a098 million African<\/a>\u00a0children have never stepped foot in a classroom, hence the urgent need for action.<\/p>\n

Collaborating with\u00a0the Gift of Chess,<\/a>\u00a0this fundraiser has brought Chess in Slums Africa closer to its goal of reaching 1 million children within 5 years. The Gift of Chess is an initiative dedicated to donating chess boards globally, with the aim of distributing 1 million chess sets by 2030. Recognizing the transformative power of chess in education, Chess in Slums Africa partnered with\u00a0the Gift of Chess<\/a>\u00a0to extend this opportunity across the continent of Africa. Together, we are harnessing the strategic game of chess to empower and educate children in underserved communities.<\/p>\n

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Despite facing significant health challenges, Tunde Onakoya, alongside Shawn Martinez, have turned this ambitious vision into a reality for the children.<\/p>\n

As of today, Chess in Slums Africa has provided over 200 children with scholarships, supporting them from their current stage of education through university. Many of these children are now enrolled in school, learning valuable trades, or developing essential tech skills.<\/p>\n

With this remarkable achievement spearheaded by Convener Tunde Onakoya, we are now poised to extend our reach even further into slum communities, transforming more young lives for the better.<\/p>\n

As of now, we\u2019ve raised $120,000 out of our $1,000,000 goal, which means there\u2019s still much ground to cover. You might be wondering, \u201cHow can I contribute?\u201d<\/p>\n