Last summer we set up three pilot programs in Gulu, Northern Uganda in an area recently torn apart by a 20 year civil war  and Malaba and Kakemer, Western Kenya which is the lowest scoring educational disctrict in the country.  Currently we are setting up more programs in Borneo, Indonesia and elsewhere on the archipeligo.

Playing a few games at the Restore Academy in Gulu, Uganda

Playing a few games at the Restore Academy in Gulu, Uganda

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To the left – you can see myself (the only mzungu in the picture) and a bunch of the other kids at the Restore Academy.   This was our first pilot program.  For details about all three of these programs you can check out my personal blog: paulchiari.wordpress.com.

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Teacher and students getting into the game at Isegeretoto Primary in Kenya

Teacher and students getting into the game at Isegeretoto Primary in Kenya

To the left – the kids at Isegeretoto Primary school in Malaba, western kenya learned a lot quicker than their teachers.  It was a beautiful thing to see the pasison and interest that these little kids had for the game.  With very few other intellectually stimulating activities outside of the rote learning of the classroom, these kids couldn’t get enough.
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Two high school girls playing at the Kakemer Resource Center in Kenya

Two high school girls playing at the Kakemer Resource Center in Kenya

At the Kakemer Resource Center in rural           western Kenya I was finally able to get the girls as interested in     Chess as the guys.  With the first two programs there seemed to be the notion that chess was a guys game and a lot of the girls stepped aside (though in both places there were a few female stars).  However, at the KRC the girls were just as aggressive and interested.  A lot were even better than most of the guys.  It was a beautiful thing.

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Thanks,

Paul Chiariello