Yakkon Damaryam - Gombe State Sports Commission, Nigeria

I have been serving as a volunteer chess coach for Gombe State Sports Commission. This task is an unenviable one as the game is the least of the priorities of the Commission.

I have been left with a situation to raise funds to grow the game in a society that frowns as it due to socio-cultural beliefs, with many linking it to gambling and idolatry.

I started playing chess in the late 90s and hoped to go all the way to become a Grandmaster but later focused more on the coaching aspect after being diagnosed with an advanced case of Glaucoma eye disease which started to affect my performance in tournaments.

I have been running a Chess Academy which goes rounds schools in North Eastern Nigeria to coach the game to kids that are mostly victims of terrorists attacks carried out by religious extremists.

Northern Nigeria has the highest number of out of school children in the world. The region is bedeviled by heinous crimes like terrorism, banditry, abductions & armed robbery. It is also the poverty capital of the world. Malnutrition, infant mortality, poor health care thrive.

A lot of work in publicity needs to be done to change the misconceptions about the game. At the moment it's still only few people that have embraced it.

It's also important to organize tournaments regularly and send the players for national games and international tournaments so that the society can see the direct benefits of the game and hopefully, completely embrace it.

(follow Yakkon on Twitter @YakkonD)