>> yeah. >> reporter: but things began the chain when mutesi met robert katende. he started the chess program as a way to empower children katwe. what was it about phiona? >> actually, the most intriguing factor was the determination to provide. she was grasping every concept and tried the use it well against other players. >> reporter: so he signed her up for tournaments. she began winning and became the first female chess champion of her country. by 14 she competed in the olympics of chess, beating adults, achieving status as an expert player. i'm right now here at this level, because i'm a person from nowhere. >> reporter: mutesi's journey is now a movie. >> checkmate. >> she won. >> she won. >> i won. >> reporter: disney's "queen of katwe" featuring oscar winner lupita nyong'o who plays mutesi's mother and david oyelowo who plays her coach. what message do you have for other young people in similar situations as yourself? >> hope wins in everything you're doing. >> yeah. it's up to you to wake up to, stand and to do something. >> reporter: spoken like a winner

>> yeah. >> reporter: things began to change when mutesi, met robert katende. he started the chess program to empower children in katwe. >> what was it about phiona. >> the determination to survive. she was grasping every concept you would teach her and fry to use it well. against other players. >> reporter: he signed her up for tournaments. she began winning. and became the first female chess champion of her country. by 14, she competed in the olympics of chess, beating adults, achieving status as an >> i kind of just believe that i would person right here at this level. i am a person from nowhere. >> reporter: mutesi's journey is a movie. >> check mate. >> she won. >> reporter: disney's "queen of katwe" featuring lupita nyongo and david oyelowo, plays her coach. >> what message do you have for other young people in similar situations as yourself? >> hope wins in everything you are doing. >> reporter: hope wins? >> yeah. it is up to you to wake up. stand and then do something. >> spoken like a winner who says she never loses. she just learns. jericka duncan, c

. >> reporter: 20-year-old phiona mutesi discovered a new way of thinking through chess. >> you havelan. and dreams. >> reporter: those dreams started here in one of the largest slums in new guanda, katwe helped to sell corn to help her family survive. >> i dropped out of school at 6. >> reporter: you dropped out of school at 6. >> yeah, my mom had no money. >> reporter: when she was 9, she stumbled upon a chess program. at first it wasn't the game that interested her. so, you were going back to play because you needed food. >> yeh. >> reporter: but things began to change when mutesi met robert katende, he started the chess program as a way to empower children. >> ma was it about him? >> actually, it became a mission to provide. >> reporter: so, he signed her up for tournaments. she began winning and became the first female chest champion in her country. and by 14, she competed in the olympics of chess, beating adults, achieving status as an expert player. mutesi's journey is now a movie. >> katwe, she won, she won. >> reporter: disney's "queen of katwe" featuring lupita nyong'o who

. >> reporter: but things began to change when mutesi met robert katende, he started the chess program as a way to empower children. >> ma was it about him? >> actually, it became a mission to provide. >> reporter: so, he signed her up for tournaments. she began winning and became the her country. and by 14, she competed in the olympics of chess, beating adults, achieving status as an expert player. mutesi's journey is now a movie. >> katwe, she won, she won. >> reporter: disney's "queen of katwe" featuring lupita nyong'o who plays her mother and david what do you have for young people who are in similar situations as yourself? >> hope wins. >> reporter: hope wins? >> yeah, wake up and do something. >> reporter: spoken like a winner who says she never loses. she just learns. jericka duncan, cbs news, new york. >> pretty amazing story. >>> here's another look at this morning's top story. matthew, dangerous category 4 hurricane, 145-mile-per-hour winds is battering haiti this morning. there is a risk of life-threatening rain and storm surge. the storm is moving north and may pose a threa

. >> reporter: 20-year-old rjts phiona mutesi found a new way of thinking through chess. the dreams started here in one sold corn to help her family survive. >> i dropped out of school at 6. >> reporter: you dropped out of school at 6? >> yes. we didn't have anything. my mom had no money. >> reporter: when she was 9 she stumbled upon a church chess program. at first it wasn't the game that interested her. >> just going back i wanted a meal. >> reporter: you were going back to play because you needed food? >> yeah. >> reporter: things began to change when katende. he started the chess program to empower children in katwe. >> what was it about phiona. >> the determination to survive. she was grasping every concept you would teach her and fry to use it well. against other players. >> reporter: he signed her up for tournaments. she began winning. and became the first female chess champion of her country. by 14, she competed in the olympics of chess, beating expert player. >> i kind of just believe that i would person right here at this level. i am a person from nowhere. >> re