Children’s chess club thrives in Congo refugee camp

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More than 5 million people have been displaced by decades of conflict in eastern Congo, where dozens of armed groups fight each other over land and control of areas rich in sought-after minerals. An increase in fighting in recent months has led to a new surge of refugee. Hundreds of thousands of people forced to escape the attacks that destroy their towns and villages have ended up in vast displacement camps like Kanyaruchinya, where the Soga Chess Club operates.

The Soga Chess Club for children doesn't have enough tables and chairs. The boards are squares of paper with green and white blocks marked on them and are lined with plastic to protect them from the wear and tear coming their way.

Irritatingly, the pieces sometimes topple over if players haven't found a flat enough stretch of ground to lay their game out on. But the chess club founders say it's good enough to try and take these kids' minds away from what they've seen and experienced so far: fighting and killing, hunger and fear. They've all lost their homes.

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