In the novel "The Queen of Katwe: A Story of Life, Chess and One Extraordinary Girl's Dream of Becoming a Grandmaster," Tim Crothers tells the story of how Phiona Mutesi, teenager living in Katwe, the biggest and possibly toughest slum in Uganda's capital city becomes the queen of chess.
Npr.org reports that when Mutesi first started playing chess, she wasn't really looking for fame or glory. What drew her to her first game of chess was a local chapter of a Christian charity chess program that lured Mutesi, her brother and other children to the event with the promise of a meal.
"Our family didn't have money, and we were yearning to get some food. We didn't have food at home," she tells NPR's Michel Martin. "My brother knew about chess, and he could go to the chess program to get a cup of porridge."
The kids in Katende's chess group were all struggling. "Almost 97 percent of the children don't go to school at all," says Mutesi's coach and mentor, Robert Katende. "When you're in a survival situation, the parents or guardians have to choose whether to waste their money on education or to find a way to feed the family."
Before this, Mutesi had never seen or heard of chess. But according to Katende she was a natural talent. "She has a special - I call it - a gene." He also acknowledges that her difficult life in Katwe helped develop Mutesi's competitive streak. "I notice that she's very aggressive, because, you know, it's like, when you're determined."
Her success has been a source of inspiration to everyone around her. "She's really transformed her entire family, because they have come to realize that they can make it in life, they have gained hope," he says. "So many children are now coming on the program, and they're optimistic that maybe one day they can also get out of the slum."
According to Mutesi, by becoming a master of the game, she hopes to open doors of opportunities for her community. "I want to be a grandmaster," she says, "and I want to be a doctor so I can help my family - and I want to help slum kids."