14 Mar 13
1 edit
I just read a book called, "The Queen of Katwe" by Tim Crothers and I highly recommend it. It is about a Christian outreach started in the slums of Uganda with chess as the bait. Children would come to play just for a meal, but it developed into something much more. The children of the slums of Katwe became prominant chess players in Africa, the best of which was a girl named Phiona Mutesi. Through their faith and mastering the game of chess, they rose above their miserable fate handed to them.
14 Mar 13
1 edit
Originally posted by Paul Dirac III put it here because of these people were motivated through their faith.
It might be worth noting that sonhouse started a thread titled 'A great chess story of a Ugandan girl chess champ' in the Only Chess forum.
A missionary named Robert Katende initiated the chess in the slums. Originally he used soccer as out outreach to children. However, he soon realized that chess was a far greater tool to reach these children Through chess he taught the children lifes lessons and introduced them to Christianity. The book is a moving account of how these children blossomed spiritually and intellectually.
The girl is but a small piece of the story.