Chess for Protection & Social Inclusion
Empowering Displaced Youth, Refugee Settlements & Vulnerable Communities Across Africa
An impactful humanitarian partnership deploying chess as a universal language to provide psychosocial healing, safe community spaces, gender empowerment, and educational opportunities in refugee settlements and displaced communities across the African continent.
Program Overview & Objectives
For children and youth living in refugee settlements and conflict-affected zones, life is often disrupted by trauma, instability, and a lack of constructive recreational outlets. Chess provides an intellectually stimulating haven where equality, fair play, and mental focus prevail.
The Chess for Protection program partners with UNHCR (UN Refugee Agency), community-based organizations, and local federations to establish vibrant chess academies within major settlement hubs (including Kakuma and Dadaab in Kenya, Nakivale and Bidibidi in Uganda, and refugee centers across Central Africa).
Through structured training, girls-only chess circles, scholastic tournament opportunities, and community leader mentorship, the program builds resilience, bridges ethnic and cultural divides, and opens academic pathways for displaced youth.
Three Core Action Pillars
Safe Spaces & Trauma-Informed Psychosocial Support
Creating secure, inclusive community centers equipped with chess tables, giant outdoor sets, and supportive mentors to help children recover from trauma and develop cognitive resilience.
Girls & Young Women Empowerment Circles
Dedicated female-led chess circles providing safe spaces for young refugee women to learn chess, develop public speaking skills, and access leadership mentorship.
Scholastic Pathways & Academic Scholarships
Connecting standout refugee chess players with national scholastic leagues, FIDE-rated open tournaments, and academic scholarship opportunities.
Kakuma Refugee Camp Prodigies Win National Titles
“When I sit at the chessboard, I forget about the hardships in the camp. On the 64 squares, everyone is equal. Chess showed me that with hard work, I can achieve anything.”
Young players from the Kakuma Refugee Camp chess hub competed in the Kenya National Youth Championship, winning medals in their age categories and earning academic sponsorships to top national secondary schools.
Frequently Asked Questions
Program Liaison Desk
National federations, coaches, correctional administrators, and humanitarian partners can contact the program coordinator directly: