A chance encounter with a chess coach in Uganda has turned the life of local teenager around. Ugandan Phiona Mutesi, who grew up in a slum, is now a rising international chess star. In 2005, Mutesi met missionary Robert Katende, who had started a chess programme in Katwe. He offered a bowl of porridge to any child who would show up and learn. Mutesi did not become a top player overnight, but her aptitude was clear.
She won top prize at the 2010 Chess Olympiad in Khanty-Mansiysk, Russia, and has represented Uganda at various international tournaments.
