Jargon Free Forum

Motivation

Movie Screening: Queen of Katwe

Living in the slum of Katwe in Kampala, Uganda is a constant struggle for 10-year-old Phiona (Madina Nalwanga) and her family. Her world changes one day when she meets Robert Katende (David Oyelowo), a missionary who teaches children how to play chess. Phiona becomes fascinated with the game and soon becomes a top player under Katende's guidance. Her success in local competitions and tournaments opens the door to a bright future and a golden chance to escape from a life of poverty.

Lesson from this movie

• Where you come from doesn’t define where you’re going
• Hope always wins 
• Dream bigger than you think possible because it might just come true
• Stay focused on the destination and not on the journey to get there
• Staying in your comfort zone can keep you from winning
• You belong where you believe you belong
• You don’t have to fit in to win
• When it comes to winning in life; create a plan of attack and focus on that plan until you get there
• You don’t have to compromise your integrity in order to thrive

Pre-session assessment

Activity conducted during the session

There were a total of 40 11th standard students who participated in the pre-session assessment. The following topics were discussed:

• Why do you want to become a successful person? Students replied that they want to have financial and family support, achieve their dreams, goals, education, hard work, discipline, guidance, etc.
• What are those things that keep us away from our dreams? Students replied that lack of practice and hard work, laziness, and no clear goals can keep us away from achieving our dreams.
• Is winning the only important thing in life? Most students replied that winning is not the only important thing in life. It is important to learn from failures and remain grounded. Success without experiencing failure can lead to becoming an egoistic person.

Post-session assessment:

• What did you observe about Pheona's behavior at the beginning and after winning a few tournaments? Students replied that at the beginning, Pheona had no hope or dream of becoming a successful player, and her behavior was kind and sweet. However, after winning a few tournaments, she began to find problems in her life and complained to her coach and mother. Her mother also complained to her teacher that he changed her daughter, and these changes were negative. Due to these changes, she lost some tournaments, but with hard work, she became a successful player.
• What do you think about Pheona’s mother’s behavior? Some students replied that Pheona’s mother was independent, had integrity, was honest, and a supportive mother. Others replied that her mother had self-respect and did not lose it in front of anyone.
• Who played the main role in the film? Most students replied that Pheona's teacher played the most important role in her life. From the initial stages to becoming a successful player in chess, he motivated her every time and recognized that her talents were far beyond his own.
• What did you learn from this movie? Most students replied that they learned a lot from Pheona’s behavior and life. They realized that nothing can stop them from achieving their dreams if they are determined and work hard. Some students also said that they now think about their dreams from a different perspective and want their team's support to achieve their goals.