Chess Initiative Launched for Refugee Children
Movement in Refuge launched a program to provide chess training to 5,000 displaced children in Bangladesh.
Updated on Sept. 20, 2026 in Philanthropy
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In August 2026, the charity Movement in Refuge introduced the Chess for Protection Programme at the Kutupalong Refugee Camp in Cox's Bazar. The initiative provides structured chess training to support the well-being of the 541,000 children living in the local camps.
Why it matters
The program aims to offer organized leisure and sport to children among the 1.3 million Rohingya refugees currently residing in the area. By providing chess training, organizers seek to instill focus, confidence, and empowerment in a population with limited access to activities.
The program targets 5,000 refugee children across 34 camps in Cox's Bazar. Costs per unit of impact include 1 US dollar for chess sets, 40 cents per person for refreshments, and 1,000 US dollars to install solar power systems for activity centers.
The players
Movement in Refuge
This registered charity in Scotland and the USA works to provide chess-based leisure and sport initiatives to refugees.
Magnus Wolfe-Murray
He is the founder of Movement in Refuge and is currently soliciting international support for the organization.
Monalisha Khamboo
She is a FIDE instructor who delivered the initial chess training sessions in the refugee camps.
The Humanitarian Assistance Programme
This is the local partner organization that helped facilitate the delivery of the chess training sessions.
The details
The program was facilitated by FIDE instructor Monalisha Khamboo in collaboration with The Humanitarian Assistance Programme. The initial pilot session featured a tournament for 64 refugee participants aged 10 to 22, combining formal coaching with organized play.
Timeline
March 2025: UNHCR data collection occurred on the refugee population.
August 2026: The Chess for Protection Programme took place in the Kutupalong Refugee Camp.
September 22-27, 2026: Magnus Wolfe-Murray attended the World Chess Olympiad.
September 24, 2026: Magnus Wolfe-Murray addressed the FIDE Chess in Education EDU Summit.
Market Landscape
The initiative represents a grassroots expansion of chess as an educational and therapeutic tool within humanitarian settings. It demonstrates an emerging trend of using established sporting institutions to address the social and mental health needs of displaced populations globally.
Supporters can contribute to the goal of raising 100,000 US dollars to sustain the program. These funds cover essential costs including 20 US dollars per week for local chess coach training and the equipment needed to support 5,000 children.
The takeaway
Chess serves as a low-cost, effective tool for providing structured mental engagement to children in crisis environments. Organizations can replicate this model by partnering with local entities to keep operational expenses like coach training and equipment minimal.
What happens next
The organization intends to bring a youth team from the refugee camps to compete in a future World Chess Olympiad.
Further reading
Learn more about the role of global charitable efforts in our Philanthropy section.
More information
For more information on the program and donation opportunities, visit the Movement in Refuge official website.
Source note: This article includes information reported by ChessBase.
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