Young inmates from Ghana’s Senior Correctional Centre in Accra showcased remarkable skill and resilience at the 4th Intercontinental Online Chess Championship for Prisoners, reaching the quarterfinals before a narrow loss to a strong Indian team. Led by David Acheampong, founder of Mentors Chess Academy, the Ghanaian team excelled in Group 2, securing second place behind Serbia after victories over Ukraine, Kenya, Romania, and Malawi. This year’s event, the largest so far, brought together 115 teams from 51 countries under FIDE’s Chess for Freedom initiative, promoting rehabilitation through chess.

Mentors Chess Academy is now seeking partnerships to expand prison chess programs across Ghana, offering inmates a path to social and educational empowerment. Key support for the program has come from sponsors like Cave & Gardens, Development International, ICFAD, and Blazing Dreams, an organization founded by Kimathi Y.D. Kuenyehia II, dedicated to uplifting underprivileged youth through mentorship and financial assistance.