“Watching the kids walk up to the podium to receive their trophy made me feel something indescribable.

“If they had wandered into Eko hotel as random street kids, they would have been rejected and ridiculed. But because we dignified their stories and empowered them with chess, they’re seen and celebrated as champions.

“This is the future every child deserves, and it’s one I’d forever commit my life to building. It is the only metric that is meaningful to me.”

Credit: X|@Tunde_OD