Chess for Freedom: Malawi Takes the Lead

Maula Prison in Lilongwe has changed. Inmates who once had little to fill their days now study openings, challenge each other and train to play opponents from other countries.

For a few hours, the walls fade and the 64 squares take over. Every move is a problem to solve. Every mistake teaches something. Every game is another chance to get better. It is a small kind of freedom, and Malawi has made the most of it.

The programme started in 2022 and has grown into one of Africa's strongest Chess for Freedom stories. Malawi has put chess into prisons across the country and helped other African nations start their own programmes. Behind much of this is Susan Namangale, founder of Dadaz Chess Academy and Global Head of The Gift of Chess.

Where it began

Dadaz Chess Academy began lessons at Maula in 2022, using sets donated by The Gift of Chess. The aim was simple: give inmates something new to learn, and skills that could help them after release.

People took to it fast. Some inmates already knew the game and began teaching others. Wardens who played joined in as trainers. Soon there were regular games and monthly tournaments.

By 2023 the academy had reached 12 more facilities, including Zomba Maximum Prison, Chichiri Prison, Bvumbwe Juvenile Centre, Mulanje, Nsanje, Ntchisi, Nkhotakota, Mzuzu, Ntcheu, Mangochi and Kasungu. Namangale handed out sets to at least 16 prisons and worked with prison authorities to get the programme going.

She knew local games would only take players so far. To compete abroad, inmates needed training and computers to practise for online events. As early as 2023, she was asking for computer donations so the Maula players could prepare for tournaments online.

The results

The 2025 African Continental Chess for Freedom Championship showed how far the programme had come. Three years after the first lessons at Maula, Malawi took second place in all three categories: open, women's and youth. The youth team managed it despite a last-minute illness.

In May 2026, Malawi's men's, women's and youth teams each finished third at the second continental championship.

The placings matter, but so does what they mean to the players. Wearing a national team's colours means being recognised for what you can do, not only for what you once did. It means having a goal and something to look forward to.

Women at the board

The women's team finished second in 2025 and third in 2026. For women in prison, chances to take part in organised international sport are rare. Chess gives them a seat at the table and a game against women from other countries. It also makes a plain point: rehabilitation programmes should include women.

Hosting Africa

In May 2025, Malawi hosted Africa's first in-person Chess for Freedom workshop and continental championship. FIDE representatives, Malawi Prison Service officials, prison directors from across the country and delegates from Ghana and Kenya attended.

Held at Maula Prison, the championship featured four Malawian teams: two men’s teams, one women’s team and one youth team. Bringing players from several prisons together required careful coordination of transport and security. FIDE commended the Malawi Prison Service for the achievement, noting that such arrangements are uncommon internationally.

Maxwell Kamova, Assistant Commissioner of the Malawi Prison Service, said the programme had improved inmate behaviour and had a positive impact overall.

More than a game

Chess won't undo what put someone in prison, and it can't fix a correctional system on its own. But it teaches people to pause, think about consequences and accept that setbacks are part of learning. On the board, a careless move loses the game. A careful one can turn it around. Those lessons travel well beyond the prison walls.

It has also taken teamwork. Dadaz Chess Academy, The Gift of Chess, the Malawi Prison Service and the Chess Association of Malawi each played a part. Before the 2025 championship, inmates from Zomba, Bvumbwe Youth, Maula and Kachere trained regularly with the federation's support. What began with a few donated sets is now a joint effort by coaches, prison officers, administrators and international partners.

The next move

The journey is far from over. More computers, consistent training and opportunities for inmates across the country are still needed. But Malawi has already shown what can happen when people are given the chance to discover their potential.

Now, another challenge awaits. From 13 to 15 October 2026, Malawi's teams are set to compete in the 6th Intercontinental Chess Championships for Prisoners, carrying with them the determination and confidence built over the past four years.

For the players, it will be another opportunity to test their skills against competitors from around the world and show just how far they have come.

What began with a few donated chessboards at Maula Prison has become a story of second chances and new possibilities.

“After all, change can begin with a single move!”