How Chess Is Changing Lives And Giving Hope To Girls In Kenya’s Slums
For some, chess is just a game. For others, it's a hobby or a sport. But for children growing up in the slums of Mombasa, Kenya, chess can be something even more powerful—hope.
Promoting Queens is an initiative committed to changing the lives of girls across Africa through chess. Their philosophy is clear—chess is more than just a game, it's a tool for empowerment, education, and leadership.
Two-time Nigerian Women's Chess Champion WFM Perpetual Ogbiyoyo founded the global non-profit in 2023. Less than three years later, it has impacted the lives of more than 1,500 girls and awarded 100+ scholarships.
But this is just the beginning, Ogbiyoyo told Chess.com in an interview. "My idea of creating Promoting Queens was not just about teaching chess. It’s about giving girls hope and helping them understand that their decisions matter—on the board and in life."
It’s about giving girls hope and helping them understand that their decisions matter—on the board and in life.
—Perpetual Ogbiyoyo
One of the most successful projects of the initiative is located in Mombasa, Kenya, where chess has given a group of girls hope and motivation in daily life.
Among the girls in the project is Victoria Akinyi, a 16-year-old high school student. She lives in the Bangladesh slum (not to be confused with the country) which houses more than 30,000 residents in extreme poverty. Many have no place to sleep and cannot afford three meals a day.
“Chess has really empowered me,” Victoria told Chess.com. “It has given me confidence. I can speak and express myself because of chess. Especially when I lose a game, I give myself hope that I can start again and defeat my opponent.”
Her journey with the game began when a local coach encouraged her and her friends to join a chess club. With permission from their parents, the girls joined and quickly discovered that it can help them in several areas.
One of the most important areas where chess has helped her is in her education, in particular math. "Chess has made me a brave girl. I remember before I was playing chess, I didn’t believe I could do some things," she said. "Now chess has given me the mindset that I can do this."
For Victoria, chess has been an eye-opener, changing what she believes is possible. After finishing high school, she hopes to become a chess coach. This way she can help support her family and make other girls discover the same confidence she found through the game.
"I want to help more girls from Bangladesh," she said when asked about her hopes for the future. "To give them an opportunity and show them that chess can help us never to give up in life."
I want to help more girls... and show them that chess can help us never to give up in life.
—Victoria Akenyi
Victoria's experience is also shared by younger players in the program, such as the talented 11-year-old Bevyn Blessing, who has already had great results winning tournaments after two years of playing. She said the game helped her in both school and at home. "Chess helped me in mathematics, timing, and critical thinking," she said.
Blessing plays every day with her friends, and dreams of becoming a chess master. That way she can get a sponsor and eventually help her parents.
A key factor behind the success of Promoting Queens in Kenya has been Kosi Danford, who volunteered and spent years introducing the game to children in slums, public schools, and orphanages along Kenya's coast.
Danford said he noticed a typical pattern where boys continued to play chess, while girls were more likely to drop out. "I decided to do something about it."
He decided to create a girls-only chess club, and launched with just two girls. "Now we have 33 girls training with the club, and some of them have already played in tournaments. Their progress has been amazing."
Now we have 33 girls training with the club, and some of them have already played in tournaments. Their progress has been amazing.
—Kosi Danford
Chess is now fully recognised in Kenya and we @thegiftofchess are ready to offer our Support.
— Kosi Danford (@Doshbg) January 22, 2026
Today I spent 3hrs with students at Jeddys Academy in Mombasa - Kenya, preparing them for Next Term's School events. pic.twitter.com/RUSko3iBuu
The coach believes that creating a safe and supportive environment is critical to achieve success, especially in communities affected by poverty.
"In these communities, when girls are idle, many things can happen," he said. "Because of poverty, they can end up in bad situations. Chess gives them structure, a purpose, and education."
Despite the community's growth, they are experiencing challenges due to a lack of resources. "They don’t have access to gadgets, such as laptops or tablets," he said. "They can’t access online platforms like Chess.com, and it’s difficult for them to play tournaments because of poverty."
Even with some challenges, there have been important breakthroughs. One girl recently earned a federation rating, and another student coached by Kosi became a national champion and earned opportunities to travel internationally for competition. "These moments show what’s possible," Kosi said. "They motivate me to keep going."
Kosi's long-term dream is to build an academy where vulnerable kids can come and play chess for free. "Chess has to be inclusive for everyone," he said.
Ogbiyoyo, the Director and Founder of Promoting Queens, said stories like these are only the beginning, but she hopes increased attention can help their cause. "We hope that the world will notice and see what we are building and are able to support us. These girls have a lot of talent. It's emotional for me, because I believe there is so much potential there."
Now living in the U.S, Ogbiyoyo shared her inspiring chess journey, and how she founded Promoting Queens, in this video.
https://t.co/9MWTGMWpTt pic.twitter.com/HJAEzBkwFk
— Perpetual Ogbiyoyo (@guitargirrl) January 21, 2026
After the interview with Chess.com, a new program has been launched in Bayelsa, Nigeria, where they discovered a number of girls with great potential. "Overall, things are looking bright," she said.
Chess.com is supporting Promoting Queens with ChessKid Diamond memberships and training support to coaches and students. If you want to support the initiative, you can make a donation on their GoFundMe page.
