As a little girl, Mentile attentively watched older boys from her neighbourhood lay their chessboards on the drain top and played.
“I was fascinated to see how the moves gradually progressed. That”;s when I realised I want to take chess seriously. ”
Throughout her school years and beyond, she played chess and has participated in and won several matches. These include being the four-time national female chess champion (2017, 2019, 2020 and 2021). She was also the five-time representative for the national team at the World Chess Olympiad in 2012 (Istanbul, Turkey), 2016 (Baku, Azerbaijan), 2018 (Batumi, Georgia), and Online Olympiad in 2020 and 2021.
Now a young independent woman, Mentile signs herself up for more tournaments nationally and internationally. She is a member of the Namibian Chess Federation and co-founded Fianchetto Chess Academy in 2017. She and her partner WCM Jolly-Joice Nepando now teach chess at schools, namely: Suiderhof Primary School, Amazing Kids, Waka Kids, Windhoek Gymnasium, DHPS and Montessori.
She strives to bring chess and its clear advantages and benefits to the less fortunate. Having been in business for the past five years, she aims to grow the academy to accommodate other towns too. Mentile strives to make chess a practised sport like other sport codes.
Chess has several benefits as it helps build organisation skills, creativity and improves attention deficit hyperactivity disorder symptoms as well as memory.
If you wish to enjoy a few hours in the midst of the national team, join them for a chess day at the Village, Liliencron Street in Eros on 23 July 2022.
