Robert Katendi
Appearances
Global News Podcast
The Happy Pod: Meet the world's internet dad
Also... But it's not good to give up. In most cases, you can lose all the pieces, but still stand a chance. That's the beauty of chess, that we never give up in life. It's not over until it's over.
Global News Podcast
The Happy Pod: Meet the world's internet dad
Our philosophy is life transformation and chess is life. It's a metaphor for life. So everything you do on a daily basis, planning, devising possibilities and making decisions, all of the entire chess. So I'm going to play chess with you. Always we need to depend on the why. Where are you anticipating? What do you want to achieve? OK, and sitting next to me is who?
Global News Podcast
The Happy Pod: Meet the world's internet dad
I did grow up from the slums, and it wasn't easy for me to break out. So having completed my university at Jambogo, I just realized that I needed to do something for those other children who were craving for an opportunity.
Global News Podcast
The Happy Pod: Meet the world's internet dad
My whole aim was to see if I can be contributing to their lives and also enable them to realize that they are the solutions they needed to figure out, to see how they can break out of the vicious cycle of the Islam life. Each child has a story to tell because some of them, they could not even... They write their names. They are now doctors, engineers. Others are in the process of still studying.
Global News Podcast
The Happy Pod: Meet the world's internet dad
We've been able to impact over 4,000 lives. And right now, currently we have in the program 2,514 kids. Last year, 2024, we were given the mandate by the Uganda Prisons Department... And we have over 800 inmates learning chess.
Global News Podcast
The Happy Pod: Meet the world's internet dad
Exactly. It has actually been more like an icebreaker for so many inmates. When I left them some chess boards, they said, thank you so much. We get in our lockups at around 4 p.m. and we are there, stressed. But now we can be there. Sometimes we even fail to sleep playing chess and enjoying and having fun.
Global News Podcast
The Happy Pod: Meet the world's internet dad
If you're there, I'm going to open on this wing now. You should have first figured out, if I'm there, what kind of impact do I have on your side? Because you are now losing your queen.
Global News Podcast
The Happy Pod: Meet the world's internet dad
This is the difficulty with chess. You just never see things coming. Chess has almost every concept you can find in life. Julius is now coaching people. How many people are you coaching?
Global News Podcast
The Happy Pod: Meet the world's internet dad
Some of them, they are in their wheelchairs. And these kids have played in the international tournaments. Actually, they have been in the U.S. three times. Robert, you impressed me so much. What is the end game for you? What are you looking for? To continue to transform lives of so many people as I can. But also, I'm looking at multiplying myself.
Global News Podcast
The Happy Pod: Meet the world's internet dad
Like, if I see Julius doing what I started, that means he's going to outlive me. By the way, about this chess game, me, I'm giving up. That's not good to give up. In most cases, you can lose all the pieces, but still stand a chance. That's the beauty of chess, that we never give up in life. It's not over until it's over.