By: Gifty Adjei
Following a notable performance in the 2023 Championship, inmates from the Senior Correctional Centre in Accra are preparing to represent Ghana in the 4th Intercontinental Online Chess Championship for Prisoners.
The event, scheduled for October 8-10, 2024, is part of the Chess for Freedom Program, an initiative by the International Chess Federation (FIDE) aimed at using chess for education and social inclusion in prisons worldwide.
Under the leadership of David Acheampong, founder of the Mentors Chess Academy, the inmates have been diligently improving their skills. Their previous success, a third-place finish in the juvenile section, showcased their talent against top European teams. This year, they are even more motivated to excel and bring national pride to Ghana.
The chess program has been crucial in their rehabilitation, offering intellectual stimulation and personal growth. Participation in this global competition provides inmates with a platform to display their skills and inspire both peers and the broader public.
Mentors Chess Academy is actively seeking partners to support and expand this chess initiative to other prisons across Ghana.
This program highlights chess’s transformative potential, teaching patience, strategic thinking, and the consequences of actions, thereby aiding inmates’ reintegration into society and enhancing their future prospects.
