Building Champions in Jos

Are you still of the strange belief that girls can’t play chess? You need to meet our Queens from Jos — young, brilliant girls who have confidently debunked that outdated myth.

After our impactful outreach at Trans-Ekulu Girls Secondary School, Enugu, our next stop was the serene city of Jos, Plateau State — the “Home of Peace and Tourism.”

Our base was the Girl Child Educational Centre, Kabon, where we spent two wonderful weeks nurturing young minds through chess. Led by our outstanding team member, Deborah Agwom Dembo, the project thrived beautifully, proving once again that girls can indeed play chess — and play it well.

About the Project

The Promoting Queens Jos Outreach was aimed at empowering girls through chess — teaching critical thinking, self-confidence, and discipline both on and off the board.

The school authorities, led by Mrs. Cecilia Amusa, welcomed the initiative with open arms, expressing gratitude for the effort to introduce chess as a tool for learning and empowerment.

Over 77 girls registered for the chess sessions, and by the end of the program, 48 girls had developed a deep interest and remained consistent. To ensure the continuity of chess learning, we established a Chess Club, donated 5 chessboards, and gifted each participant branded Promoting Queens notebooks.

Queens on Board

What’s chess learning without competition?

To crown the program, we organized a mini chess tournament — an electrifying experience that brought out the best in every girl.

The games were competitive yet graceful, filled with laughter, focus, and camaraderie. The top three performers received medals and one-year academic scholarships to support their education:

• 🥇 Nyiri Victor Pam
• 🥈 Victoria Francis Wang
• 🥉 Celina Sunday

Each of them displayed brilliance, resilience, and the true spirit of Queenship.

Impact

The Jos project left a lasting impression — not just on the girls, but on our entire team. We witnessed transformation, courage, and the power of belief in action.

As one of our guiding inspirations, Susan Polgar, once said:

“If we talk about pure abilities and skills, there should be no reason why women cannot play as well as men.”

This is the heart of Promoting Queens — to help girls believe in themselves, on and off the chessboard.