From a chess club in a slum of Uganda to being part of a Disney live action film to attending university in the United States with a big dream of positively impacting others, Benjamin Mukumbya’s story is one you do not want to miss.

I’ve always believed in the capacity of chess to teach essential life skills. No one is a better living example of that than Benjamin. He began learning chess when he lived in the slum of Katwe, Uganda because his mother sent him to get a free meal and develop his character. She had noticed that the kids who played chess in their slum seemed to have more life skills than those who did not. 

Stressful circumstances can limit children’s socioemotional development. Benjamin’s life in Katwe was full of stress few in the United States can relate to. He writes, “At the end of each day, I was exhausted, but I had to survive to see another day.” 

In spite of this, Benjamin showed remarkable resilience. A substantial amount of his continued development was due to his chess club. In our recent interview, Benjamin stated that there are many benefits to chess but highlighted two in particular that have helped him get where he is today (on the way to becoming a neurosurgeon!): goal setting and a source of community.

I don’t want you to miss this incredible and inspiring story. You can read our full Spotlight blog post on Benjamin’s story here (~5 minute read) and watch his complete interview on Youtube below!