In Career Gems October 9, 2023 By Maggy Rosiji

Phiona Mutesi: The Real-Life Inspiration Behind ‘Queen of Katwe’

Phiona Mutesi’s remarkable journey is a testament to the human spirit’s resilience and determination. It’s a story that originates in the heart of Katwe, an impoverished neighborhood in Kampala, Uganda, and weaves together the unlikely elements of chess, adversity, and a meteoric rise to global recognition. Her inspiring journey, which carried her from the gritty streets of Katwe to becoming an international chess sensation, served as the compelling inspiration for the Disney movie ‘Queen of Katwe.’

Early Life in Katwe

Phiona Mutesi was born in 1993 in Katwe, one of the poorest neighborhoods in Kampala, Uganda. Her childhood was marked by severe poverty, struggles for daily survival, and limited access to education. Life in Katwe was a constant battle for many, and the idea of a young girl from this community becoming an international chess champion seemed like an impossible dream.

The Discovery of Chess

Phiona’s life took a dramatic turn when she was introduced to the game of chess at the age of nine by Robert Katende, a missionary and chess coach who worked with the Sports Outreach Institute. Katende saw something special in Phiona’s keen intellect and raw talent for the game. With rudimentary chess sets and a passion for learning, she began her journey into the world of chess.

Rising Against the Odds

Phiona’s progress in chess was nothing short of extraordinary. Despite the challenges of poverty, she displayed unwavering determination, practicing tirelessly on improvised chessboards. Katende provided her with valuable mentorship and encouraged her to participate in local chess tournaments.

Her remarkable rise in the Ugandan chess scene began to attract attention both nationally and internationally. She represented Uganda in various chess competitions, competing against seasoned players from around the world. Phiona’s performance in these tournaments showcased her incredible potential and resilience.

The Disney Movie ‘Queen of Katwe’

Phiona Mutesi’s incredible story of triumph over adversity reached new heights when it was featured in a book by Tim Crothers titled “The Queen of Katwe.” This book detailed her life and journey in the world of chess, capturing the hearts of readers worldwide.

The story of Phiona’s life was subsequently adapted into a Disney movie titled ‘Queen of Katwe.’ The film, released in 2016 and directed by Mira Nair, starred Madina Nalwanga as Phiona, Lupita Nyong’o as her mother Harriet, and David Oyelowo as Robert Katende. The film not only showcased Phiona’s chess achievements but also highlighted the strength and resilience of the Katwe community.

Inspiring Generations

Phiona Mutesi’s story has inspired countless individuals worldwide, transcending geographical and cultural boundaries. Her journey from the challenging streets of Katwe to becoming a celebrated international chess champion has shown that perseverance and talent can break down even the most formidable barriers.

Moreover, her story has encouraged young girls in underprivileged communities to pursue their dreams and overcome adversity. Phiona’s journey sends a powerful message that greatness can emerge from unexpected places and that anyone, regardless of their background, can achieve extraordinary feats.

Phiona Mutesi’s remarkable journey from the slums of Katwe to international chess stardom and the Disney movie ‘Queen of Katwe’ serves as a beacon of hope and inspiration. Her story reminds us that with determination, mentorship, and the power of belief, individuals can overcome seemingly insurmountable obstacles and achieve greatness. Phiona’s legacy continues to inspire and uplift people around the world, reinforcing the idea that dreams, no matter how improbable, are worth pursuing.

In Inspiration January 24, 2022 By Women of Rubies

‘The Online Space Has Vast Merits That Women Can Leverage On’- Ruth Atim

Women who combine different career and stay focused don’t only win wherever they take their light, they also encourage other women to have “Can Do” Spirit. Ruth is making impact and touching lives in Uganda, using the media as a toolkit, and her passion as the drive,

Ruth Atim is a Journalist by profession and has worked for both broadcast and print media. In 2019, she was shortlisted as a finalist in the Isu Elihle awards, a South African Media award that rewards innovative
journalism about children. Ruth also Co-Founded the Gender Tech initiative-Uganda (https://www.genderinitiativeug.org) a not-for-profit organisation that empowers women (mostly journalists) with digital safety/security skills and Digital literacy skills. She is very passionate about Gender and Tech and most of her work is geared towards ending online abuse that targets women and her work has been able to save many women from online harassment. Ruth’s seeks to Empower women from various spheres of life and professions to fight Online Gender Based Violence. She shares her story exclusively with Esther Ijewere in this Interview.

Childhood Influence

Well, I didn’t have an easy childhood. I grew up in a family of 2 boys, and I was the only girl, raised by our widowed mother who later passed on leaving us to face the world. The world taught me that nothing comes easy, hence my inspiration to work hard and do the things that I do.

Why I pitched my tent in the Media sector

I started my Media career when I had just joined university, after graduation, I decided to continue with the media because I loved it. It felt good getting paid for doing what you love doing.

Inspiration behind the Gender-Tech initiative

Gender-Tech initiative-Uganda is an organisation that supports women human rights defenders, mostly journalists with skills to fight online gender-based violence. I have been a victim of online violence before, but by that time, I didn’t have any knowledge about it and I almost left the profession at that time because of the constant harassment. After attending a leadership program (Young African Leadership Initiative) and Safe-sister fellowship that empowers aspiring Tech Savvy Women), I developed a huge drive to start-up something that would support women and that’s how Gender-Tech initiative-Uganda came in place. We started out by having informal conversations with some female journalists and some of their thoughts shaped the organisation Vision and Mission statement.

Being passionate about online abuse that targets women in Uganda, and across Africa

The online space has vast merits that women can and have to leverage on. But because of online violence, some of them have decided to do an internet detox, and this means that they are missing out on the opportunities and connections that come with being online. To avert this, I and my team decided to carry out numerous digital safety/security trainings in a bid to equip our trainees and beneficiaries with skills to fight online Gender based Violence. This has also played a great role in bridging the already existing and wide gender digital divide gap.

Challenges of my work

As an organisation, most of our activities need funds, and it doesn’t come in timely. This has affected our work but we are now working towards self-sustaining projects.

Other projects and activities

Our other projects are school ICT Clubs. The purpose of these clubs is to motivate and empower young school girls to consider taking up an ICT Career. This is still in the initial stages but we plan to roll it out in upper primary and lower secondary students.

What I enjoy most about my Job

I enjoy the process of preparing content especially when I have a training coming up. It feels good knowing that you are working on something that will impact many lives.

3 women who inspire me and why

To start with, Stella Nyanzi inspires me a lot. She is is a medical anthropologist, feminist, queer rights activist and scholar of sexuality. She is one of Africa’s most prominent gender rights activist and was recently awarded the 2020 Oxfam Novib/PEN International award due to her poems and writings that have drawn her a huge fan base both in and out of the country.

Why she inspires me, is the length she’s willing to move on what she believes in is admirable. My second one is Malala Yousafzai, a Pakistani activist for female education and a Nobel Peace Prize laureate. This young incredible woman overcame an assassination attempt by the Taliban at the age of fifteen, to campaign for women’s rights and children’s rights to an education.

The fact that she advocated in an area where the Taliban pose a serious threat makes her an inspiration to me. She has fought life and limb for what she believes in. And lastly, Winnie Byanyima. She is an aeronautical engineer, politician, and diplomat. To me, her name screams hope and resonates with what a woman can achieve if she believes in herself a little more.

Byanyima was appointed as the executive director of the UNAIDS by the UN Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres following a comprehensive selection process. Before this, she served as the Oxfam International executive director.

If she can achieve this and more, why not me.

How I balance my work as an advocate and journalist

Well, I just get my priorities right and plan for my day, a day before. I also love to delegate, because I believe that one can’t achieve much if they are everywhere doing different things. I focus on one thing at a go, and delegate if I am swamped.

Impact of my work in Uganda since inception

I have trained over 300 young women, and the feedback just excites me. Many of my beneficiaries’/ trainee’s report being more comfortable and at ease maneuvering the internet without any fear of bullying or harassment because they know just the right thing to do in order to be safe online. That to me is a push to do more.

To young women who want to combine journalism with social work

Both professions are fulfilling. Just find a way and strike a balance between the two, so as to be effective and deliver appropriately.

My view on Gender based violence, and how it is addressed in Uganda

Gender based Violence is everywhere and it was at its peak during the pandemic due to lockdowns and movement restriction. In Uganda, a few perpetrators are being held accountable for their actions, but we need to do more. Women are also very much aware of their rights which is a plus towards fighting Gender based violence, all thanks to the different stakeholders who have made it a point to empower the women.

Being a Woman of Rubies

I support and empower women to be better versions of themselves.

In Inspiration July 18, 2021 By Women of Rubies

Noreen Asekenye of Tell A Story Foundation Uganda, Transforming Lives Of Vulnerable People Through Storytelling

Leave a mark about the work you are doing. It does not matter if you are walking the journey alone, keep moving, walk your truth, not everyone will believe you, just move, the right people will eventually find you.

If there’s one thing that serves the multiple functions of engaging, informing, educating and transforming lives, it is stories.
Noreen Asenkenye, the founder of Tell a Story Foundation understands the transforming power of story telling. That is why she is engaging it to make a positive social impact in the lives of vulnerable people in Uganda.

Noreen has an intense passion for the vulnerable and a way she makes their life easy and free from distress is story telling.

She is an enthusiastic fundraiser, and through Tell a Story Foundation, she has successfully ran fundraising campaigns for children with autism, two young girls raised by single mothers, and the current Together for Good campaign, a Covid-19 relief fundraiser benefiting vulnerable families with income relief.

Do not wait to have enough to chase your dreams. Only start and once you do make noise about your business.

Tell a Story Foundation Uganda is a non-profit organization using stories and acts of charity to influence change within individuals, the community and the world at large.
They carry out bonfire nights to relive telling stories around the fire places just as the ancient grandparents did. They also profile and share inspirational success stories of young men and women impacting lives. Because they believe that stories are a solution, the foundation also run fundraisers for the less privileged in their communities to better their lives.

As the founder of a non-profit organisation, Noreen explains how intrinsic the reward she gets from running an organisation that inspires people.
She explains what keeps her committed hand true to her mission. In her own words, “the joy in sharing a story and knowing that someone has seen a piece of themselves in it and are inspired to be and do better. The smiles on every person we support through a fundraiser keeps me more committed.”

Noreen implores women and everyone who is stuck on what to do and how to get started with these words:

“Do what you can from wherever you are and with what you have. Tell a Story Foundation started with zero Ugandan shillings, my idea was my capital and the only available resource I had.”

“Do not wait to have enough to chase your dreams. Only start and once you do make noise about your business. People should remember you for what you do.

“Use whatever available opportunity whether it is a physical meeting or online chat to throw your face at people. Leave a mark about the work you are doing. It does not matter if you are walking the journey alone, keep moving, walk your truth, not everyone will believe you, just move, the right people will eventually find you.”

Noreen is a cohort 35 Young African Leaders Initiative (YALI) Fellow, Cohort 18 Reignite Africa Young Leaders Fellow, and a recent graduate of the 2020 Zimba Women Business Program.

In Career Gems December 13, 2020 By Women of Rubies

Maid Sentenced To Four Years In Prison For Feeding Her Employer’s Baby With Urine And Infected Her With Syphilis

A Ugandan househelp, Vicky Abiria has been sentenced for feeding her boss’s baby with her urine. Abiria was sentenced to four years imprisonment by Kira division court on Friday, December 11.

Hope Chica, the mother of the baby told the police that she got suspicious after noticing that Abira had kept the baby’s bottle packed with urine in her bedroom.

Upon interrogation, she confessed that she was giving the child her urine.

“I found my baby’s bottle full of urine and when I asked her she confessed that she was feeding my baby with her urine,” she said.

Chica added that: “When I took my daughter to the hospital, the doctors found out that my baby had syphilis. I am now trying to treat my child and make sure that she doesn’t get other complications.”

She further added that she always saw these kinds of acts on social media and television and didn’t really think that they were true.

“I have always heard that house helps do these kinds of things, now that it has happened to my child, I even fear maids. I don’t ever want to hire one. I have always treated this girl well but I don’t know why she decided to do such a thing,” she said.

Kampala Metropolitan Police (KMP) Spokesperson Patrick Onyango had on Thursday, December 10, confirmed that they arrested Abira and charged her with spreading dangerous diseases after tests on the child proved that it had been infected by a urinary tract infection.

In Career Gems October 14, 2020 By Women of Rubies

“He Even Slept With Me This Morning!” – Woman Says As She Storms Hubby’s Secret Wedding With Children (See Video)

A weird drama ensued at what was supposed to be a secret wedding between a married man and his probably ignorant bride as the former’s wife stormed the venue with her children and disrupted the ceremony.

“He even slept with me this morning!” – Woman storms hubby's secret wedding with children — “He even slept with me this morning!” – Woman storms hubby’s secret wedding with children

An interesting video shows her invading the church auditorium unexpectedly with a baby strapped on her back, at the time the bride and the supposed groom were standing before the altar and a huge crowd of attendees to receive the pastor’s blessing.

According to the woman, the supposed groom was her husband with whom she had children. She went on to allege that the man even spent the last night with her and the children, so she was surprised to see him tying the knot with another woman the next morning.

She added that she and her husband didn’t have any issues and they had not separated either, so she was taken aback to have learned and confirmed it for herself that he was getting married to another woman.

View this post on Instagram

Woman storms church with her kids to stop a secret wedding between her husband and another lady

A post shared by GhSplash.com (@ghsplash) on Oct 12, 2020 at 12:17am PDT

Source: Pulse ng

In Career Gems November 13, 2019 By Esther Ijewere

UGANDAN JOURNALIST, NILA YASMIN HAS WON THE 2019 AFRICAN WOMEN IN MEDIA AWARD

Ugandan Journalist, Nila Yasmin has won the 2019 APO GROUP, African Women in Media Awards, which recognises, celebrates and empowers African women journalists who support female entrepreneurship in Africa.

The actress and journalist who co-founded GLIM and currently works with Media 256, (producers of CNN African Voices and Inside Africa) is a passionate advocate for women empowerment.

In 2018, she co-directed and featured in ‘Me Myself and You’ a short film that tackles personal insecurities, image and identity among young females and was nominated in the 2019 CineChico Awards in Spain. And in 2019, she was among Uganda’s first all-female cast and crew that was behind the groundbreaking film ‘Bed of Thorns’ that tackles Gender Based Violence and urges women to speak up.

As promised, the winning African female journalist was bestowed with a USD 2,500 cash prize, an all-expenses paid trip to a prestigious International Women’s Forum, and online courses from one of the most respected international universities.

Way to Go Nila!

Source: Espact.com

In self development September 28, 2019 By Esther Ijewere

23 YEAR OLD KATIE DAVIS ADOPTS 13 DAUGHTERS

At the young age of 18, no one would think a homecoming queen and senior class president would trade her life for something so extraordinary. Her name is Katie Davis, the girl who chose to follow God’s calling on her life more than following, what the world calls, “greater opportunities” for her. God wrote these desires on her heart during December of her senior year of high school when she went on a mission trip to Uganda.

It was the moment where God opened her eyes and she responded through prayer and seeking God, asking His guidance for her next steps after graduation. That’s when she decided to forgo university and commit to one year to teaching kindergarten in an orphanage in Uganda. Faith led her to that decision because she wanted to obey God even though she didn’t know what was ahead of her. Eventually, in 2008, Katie made Uganda her permanent home and launched Amazima Ministries, named after the native Ugandan word for “truth.”

The organization seeks to transform lives, restore relationships and radically change communities through the truth of Jesus Christ 5 years later, at the age of 23-years-old, Katie became a mother to 13 young girls whom she adopted and raised as her own children. Katie tells TODAY that she learned what true love really means through taking care of her adopted children – the most valuable lesson she has ever learned in life. “In those early days of laying sleepy heads on pillows and training tiny hearts to know Jesus, I had no comprehension of the wild, uncontainable love I would feel for them.

I didn’t know that they would somehow become extensions of me, that when they hurt I would hurt more deeply than I ever had before, and that when they showed delight over a success or an excitement for God’s Word, my heart would swell within me and I would be unable to contain tears of joy I didn’t know that sometimes I would look at them and feel so much love that my heart would physically ache within my chest.” That understanding of unconditional love would one day influence Katie not just as a mother, but also a wife.

Meet Benji Majors

Benji and Katie grew up in the same town of Franklin, Tennessee, but only met for the first time when Benji arrived in Uganda to serve as a missionary“We shared a hometown with only a few hilltops to keep our adolescent lives from ever intersecting,” Katie writes on her blog.

“My husband’s love is just another way God has chosen to pour [out] His extravagant love on me, another constant reminder that He rejoices over me, and over each one of our daughters. I watch them come alive under the loving gaze of their new father, I hear the delight and the certainty in their voices as they call ‘Dad.’”

The couple got married in 2015 and during that time she didn’t have her friends or sisters around as bridesmaids, instead, she had her 13 beautiful daughters who continue to be living proof of God’s faithfulness, redemption, and love Katie explained that just because she lives in Uganda and shares the love of Jesus with people she meets doesn’t mean she’s a “missionary” greater than anyone else

“I live in Uganda with my husband and my children. The people here, they are my neighbors, my friends, my family.

These are the streets on which we live, the community we pray with, the friends we eat with, the people I wave to on the street

This is my home. What I do here, you can do there, right where you are.” Amazima Ministries is simply one of the many ways you can join the revival movement and empower a young generation with education and Jesus Christ. But as Katie said, “You don’t have to be in Uganda to be a missionary. You don’t have to adopt 13 children to be the hands and feet of Jesus.”

This Article Was First Published On godtv.com

In Career Gems February 23, 2017 By Editor

200 BRIDES GET MARRIED IN A MASS UGANDAN WEDDING

For a mass wedding ceremony themed 77 DOGs (77 Days of Glory), 200 brides involved where transported to the venue in an unusual style – on the back of 5 decorated flat-bed Mercedes Benz trucks, where the grooms were waiting.

Waiting grooms

The wedding ceremony held at the Miracle Centre Cathedral in Rubaga, Uganda. According to Ugandan Daily monitor, The pastor of the church, Robert Kayanja, thought that because it was a mass wedding, the 200 brides involved should ride together.

Source: Woman.ng