In Katwe, one of the poorest neighbourhoods in Kampala, a girl who sold maize on the streets walked into a chess programme for the promise of a free cup of porridge. Phiona Mutesi became a national champion.
Mutesi was born in the mid-1990s in Kampala. Her father died when she was young, and her family struggled to survive. Around 2005, she followed her brother to a chess programme run by Robert Katende, a missionary coach who used chess to teach children in the slum.
The prodigy
Mutesi learned quickly. Within a few years, she was beating adults and became Uganda’s junior and then women’s champion. She represented Uganda at the Chess Olympiad, the world team championship, in Russia in 2010, travelling abroad for the first time. She later earned the title of Woman Candidate Master.
The book
Her story was told in the book The Queen of Katwe by the American journalist Tim Crothers, published in 2012.
The film
In 2016, Disney released Queen of Katwe, directed by Mira Nair, who has long lived in Kampala. Madina Nalwanga, a newcomer from Kampala, played Phiona. Lupita Nyong’o played her mother, Nakku Harriet, and David Oyelowo played Robert Katende. The film was shot partly in Katwe itself and partly in South Africa and used many local actors.
The film was made by Disney with ESPN Films. Critics praised the film’s warmth and its portrayal of Kampala. It did not perform strongly at the box office, but it gained a lasting audience on streaming and in schools.
After the film
Mutesi went on to study in the United States, attending Northwest University in Washington State. She has spoken about using her story to encourage girls from poor communities.
Chess in Africa
Chess programmes like Katende’s have spread in Uganda and elsewhere in Africa, and the film helped draw attention to them. Nigeria’s Tunde Onakoya later set a world record for the longest chess marathon in 2024 while raising money for children’s education.
Why the story matters
Mutesi’s story shows how a simple game and a dedicated coach can change a life. It also challenges assumptions about where talent comes from.
She came for the porridge and stayed for the game. The girl from Katwe ended up with her name on a Disney poster.
