Our Mission
To nurture problem-solving skills, logical reasoning, and mental resilience in children through chess and other strategy-based games, empowering them to transfer these skills from the board to their daily lives.
Our Strategy
Our approach combines structured progression with engaging learning methods to ensure every child develops strategic thinking skills.
Structured Progression
Lessons move from piece recognition to advanced openings, tactics, and tournament play, giving every child a clear path to mastery.
Learning Through Play
Games, storytelling, puzzles, and interactive challenges keep sessions engaging, particularly for younger learners.
Inclusive Engagement
While classes may be divided by age for management purposes, every child learns the same material and is capable of grasping multi-step strategies.
Competitive Spirit
Each cycle culminates in a tournament where children of all ages face off, with winners recognized, awarded, and given the chance to play against Daadras' Head of Chess.
Curriculum and Learning Approach
The chess curriculum follows a carefully designed sequence that gradually builds both technical skill and strategic thinking.
Foundations
Introduction to chess pieces, their movements, and board setup.
Early Play
Practice with individual pieces (pawns, bishops, knights, etc.) through mini-games and puzzles.
Complete Gameplay
Learning check, checkmate, stalemate, and playing full games from setup to finish.
Notation and Structure
Reading and recording moves (e.g., pawn to E4), developing discipline and precision.
Openings and Strategy
Exposure to strong openings such as the King's Pawn, Queen's Pawn, Sicilian, and Indian defenses, with emphasis on controlling the center and thinking multiple moves ahead.
Advanced Practice
Team-based matches, timed games, and guided analysis of decision-making to refine foresight and composure.
Tournament Play
A structured competition with rankings, brackets, and awards, reinforcing sportsmanship, patience, and resilience.
Role of Volunteers
Volunteers act as mentors, guiding children through each stage of the chess curriculum while modeling patience, discipline, and respect.
Volunteer Responsibilities
Mentorship and Guidance
Guide children through each stage of the chess curriculum while modeling patience, discipline, and respect.
Adaptive Teaching
Trained in adapting teaching styles to different age groups—making lessons playful and fun for younger children while encouraging deeper analytical thinking in older ones.
Match Supervision
Supervise matches, facilitate group discussions, and provide encouragement that links chess strategies to real-life decision-making.
A Transformative Experience
For Volunteers
Volunteers learn to simplify complex concepts, foster fair play, and witness the confidence children gain as they progress from moving pawns to mastering entire games. Chess becomes a shared language of growth, with both children and mentors sharpening their skills side by side.
For Children
Children develop strategic thinking, patience, and resilience. They learn that every move matters, that resilience comes from learning from mistakes, and that strategy and patience can turn challenges into victories—both on the board and beyond.
Challenges in Implementation
We've identified key challenges and developed innovative solutions to ensure effective learning and engagement.
Our Solutions
Tailored Engagement Methods
Puzzles and stories for younger kids, strategy analysis for older ones, ensuring age-appropriate learning experiences.
Flexible Tournament Design
Adapting tournament formats to work within available space and infrastructure constraints.
Equal Opportunities
Ensuring inclusivity by giving all children equal opportunities to play and compete regardless of resources.
Creative Resource Management
Innovative approaches to maximize learning with limited chess boards and space.
Impact
The chess program has had remarkable success, transforming children's thinking patterns and building essential life skills.
Remarkable Success
Confident Gameplay
Children as young as seven, and even those with no prior exposure, now play complete games with confidence.
Strategic Planning
Many have developed the ability to plan multiple moves ahead, stay calm under pressure, and approach both games and life challenges with strategic patience.
Tournament Excitement
The tournaments have become a highlight of every cycle, fostering excitement, pride, and healthy competition.
Chess as a Life Skills Tool
Chess has proven to be one of Project Salam's strongest tools for building critical life skills. It teaches children that every move matters, that resilience comes from learning from mistakes, and that strategy and patience can turn challenges into victories—both on the board and beyond.