Tunde Onakoya, a Nigerian chess master, coach, and founder, has reported that a three-year grant agreement has been signed between the organisation “Chess in Slums” and the international airline company Lufthansa.
According to Tunde Onakoya, the agreement will pave the way for a free chess academy and STEM innovation lab to be built in Lagos, Nigeria, specifically for the benefit of street children who do not have the means to attend school.
On the very same day two years ago, Onakoya tweeted about his desire to construct the largest chess academy on the planet. This would provide a secure environment where children from low-income families who do not have access to education could acquire marketable skills for their future careers. He envisioned a campus where brilliant students could be encouraged to reach their full potential so they could one day use their ideas to reform society.
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His tweet on January 19, 2024 reads:
“This is a dream come true for all of us❤️. 5th slide, I remember tweeting almost on this exact day two years ago that my dream was to build the biggest chess academy in the world that could become a safe learning haven for children from poverty without access to education to learn relevant skills for the future of work. A place where we could nurture our best minds and set them on a path to changing the world with their ideas. I didn’t know how it was going to come to fruition then, but I believe this partnership is the beginning of something beautiful. This is a project for all of us, so please send me an email here: tunde@chessinslumsafrica.com if you’d like to support or fund this dream.”
Onakoya shares the inspiration behind Chess in Slums
Onakoya has said in interviews throughout the years that he is able to help the children because his life experiences are similar to theirs. He fought for food, survival, and dignity every day as a child and adolescent in the slums. What it meant for the government to be indifferent and even hostile towards the less fortunate was something he grasped.
His mates, his mates’ parents, and even some individuals who were born or lived in the slums were staring at him, in addition to the children. For a lot of people, he became an example of how to overcome adversity.
After years of honing his chess strategy, critical thinking, and problem-solving abilities, Tunde came to the realisation that he could use them to help children escape poverty and build better futures for themselves. With that in mind, he established Chess in Slums Africa in 2018 to help underprivileged kids gain confidence through the sport of chess.
When it comes to leadership, Tunde is the epitome of an Afropolitan. He has decided to roll up his sleeves and face the problems head-on, using chess to help underprivileged kids get a leg up in life. Chess in Slums Africa has partnered with organisations, businesses, and governments to further their mission and has secured lifelong scholarships for over 200 children in just a few short years. Their impact is immeasurable.