Robert Katende

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Katende interviewed at the Queen of Katwe premiere in Johannesburg, in 2016

Robert Katende is a Ugandan chess coach, footballer, and engineer. He is also the executive director of Sports Outreach.

He promoted the game of chess to the slums and street kids of Kampala.[1][2][3] He is also known for mentoring Phiona Mutesi, Uganda's first woman candidate master chess player[4][5] and the subject of a 2012 book by Tim Crothers and a 2016 film, Queen of Katwe, directed by Mira Nair and written by William Wheeler. David Oyelowo played the role of Robert Katende in the film, which also features Lupita Nyong'o and Madina Nalwanga.[6][7][8][2]

Early life and education[edit]

Katende was born in Kiboga district to a teenage mother and lived with his grandmother in his childhood. He grew up in Naakulabye, a city suburb in Kampala.[9][10] He started his school life at St Elizabeth primary school then went to Lubiri Secondary School where he was introduced to chess. From Lubiri, he joined Kyambogo University where he pursued a diploma in civil engineering and developed his understanding of chess. He took up soccer and later played professionally for Miracle football club, Top TV FC, and sports outreach ambassadors.[2][11][12]

Katende currently holds a degree in information technology and computer engineering as well as a masters degree in international community development from Northwest University in the United States.[13]

He is a certified chess FIDE instructor and arbiter.[14]

Career[edit]

While at Kyambogo University, Katende realized he could help young people with their soccer and chess and started volunteering with sports outreach.

In 2003, he started chess outreach in slums. While running these chess programs in Katwe, he requested the Uganda Chess Federation to allow his team of slum kids to compete in the national secondary schools chess tournament.[2] His requests were turned down several times owing to the fact that these kids weren't part of an actual school, but after much insistence, his team was allowed but only as guests in the tournament in 2005. The team performed beyond the expectations of the organizers.[12] His team's performance convinced the Uganda Chess Federation to offer Katende a position as chairman of the chess in schools committee and later as director of development.[12]

While teaching chess to the children in the slums, Katende met and mentored Phiona Mutesi. Mutesi went on to be successful in chess at the world stage and a book and a film were written about her life in the slums and how chess lifted her to the world stage.[4][15] Katende worked as a consultant on the production team of the film, especially on the chess scenes.[16]

Katende was awarded by the world chess federation for using chess to create social impact in slums. He was also appointed general secretary for the social action commission of the world chess federation.[2]

He is the founder and director of a non profit school; SOM chess academy that has branches in several communities with the aim of uplifting slum children's lives.[16] Katende also launched "The Robert Katende initiative" to inspire, empower and transform the lives of the disadvantaged children. He is also the director of Sports Outreach Uganda.[16][17]

In 2018, Katende was selected to join the inaugural Obama Foundation leaders Africa program.[18][19]

Family[edit]

Katende is married to Sarah Ntongo. They have three daughters.[9][20]

Awards[edit]

In 2017, to honor Katende's contribution to the chess community, the International Chess Federation (FIDE) awarded him the Tigran Petrosian award.[21]

In 2018, Katende was one of 200 African leaders recognized by the Obama Foundation. His work was also featured in the 2018 Obama Foundation Summit.[22]

Author[edit]

In 2019, Katende published A Knight without a Castle describing the difficulties in his childhood and how he decided to use chess as a tool to transform lives.[23]

References[edit]

  1. ^ Robert Katende Emphasizes Doing Good For Others - Straight Talk Africa, retrieved 2022-03-01
  2. ^ a b c d e independent, The (2019-04-12). "Robert Katende on changing lives through chess". The Independent Uganda. Retrieved 2022-03-01.
  3. ^ "BBC World Service - Outlook, I Introduced Chess to Kampala's Slums". BBC. Retrieved 2022-03-01.
  4. ^ a b Crothers, Tim (2016-08-28). "Chess queen of Africa". the Guardian. Retrieved 2022-03-01.
  5. ^ "Phiona Mutesi | Chess Celebrities". Chess.com. Retrieved 2022-03-01.
  6. ^ "Lupita Nyong'o and David Oyelowo star in the new trailer for Queen of Katwe". The Independent. 2016-05-11. Retrieved 2022-03-01.
  7. ^ Schneller, Johanna (2016-09-09). "Disney could be looking at Oscar buzz for 'transcendent' film Queen of Katwe". The Globe and Mail. Retrieved 2022-03-01.
  8. ^ Czachor, Emily Mae (2016-09-21). "Cast and Crew Celebrate 'Queen of Katwe' as "a Love Letter to Uganda" at Disney Film's Premiere". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 2022-03-01.
  9. ^ a b "Katende after the Queen of Katwe". The East African. 2020-07-06. Retrieved 2022-03-01.
  10. ^ "I played chess to prove a point". Monitor. 2021-01-05. Retrieved 2022-03-01.
  11. ^ "Inspiring Stories | Meet the Real King of Katwe — Coach Robert Katende | Welcome to the Ugandan Diaspora". Retrieved 2022-03-01.
  12. ^ a b c MAYANJA, RONNIE. "Meet Robert Katende, the real King of Katwe". The Observer - Uganda. Retrieved 2022-03-01.
  13. ^ impactmania (2020-04-24). "Robert Katende in Uganda on a Post-COVID World". impactmania. Retrieved 2022-03-01.
  14. ^ "Katende, Robert". ratings.fide.com. Retrieved 2022-03-01.
  15. ^ "Phiona Mutesi, 'Queen of Katwe,' Rises From Uganda Slums to Become Inspirational Chess Prodigy". ABC News. Retrieved 2022-03-01.
  16. ^ a b c says, Moses. "Robert Katende & SOM Chess Academy". Chess-Site.com. Retrieved 2022-03-01.
  17. ^ "November 2020 - Uganda Perspective from Robert Katende". Sports Outreach. Retrieved 2022-03-01.
  18. ^ "Africa Leaders: Meet Robert Katende and the Som Chess Academy". Obama Foundation. Retrieved 2022-03-01.
  19. ^ Meet Robert Katende and the Som Chess Academy, retrieved 2022-03-01
  20. ^ "Checkmate: Long winding road from pawn to king". The East African. 2020-07-05. Retrieved 2022-03-03.
  21. ^ Masala, Kenya Chess (2017-10-15). "Robert Katende of Uganda receives a Special Award -". Kenya Chess Masala. Retrieved 2022-09-13.
  22. ^ "The Obama Foundation Leaders: Africa Program". Obama Foundation. Retrieved 2022-09-13.
  23. ^ Katende, Robert (2019-11-12). A Knight without a Castle: A Story of Resilience and Hope. Made for Grace Publishing. ISBN 978-1641463775.
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