We are a Non-Governmental Organization (Nonprofit) first registered in Cameroon while spreading to other African countries with the proposition that Africans are talented and can use such talent as a means of livelihood and ending poverty in communities. Otherwise, talents will be redundant and may direct their thinking negatively. In addition, the organization assays to revitalize the evanescing traditional art and culture in Africa which is used in a cross-sectoral manner to promote indigenization, tourism and industry and to revitalize local communities with our rich material and non-material culture that is surrounded with norms unique to Africa imbibes respect, truism and industriousness in our social behavior under a peaceful atmosphere. Negligence of our values has led to mental slavery, wars, intolerance, reduced disrespect for elders, and neglect of our traditional institution. People forget what they are and begin to feel inferior about their heritage when their system of socialization is made to look primitive or indispose without repackaging.

According to Karl von Habsburg, President of Blue Shield International, the destruction of cultural assets is also part of psychological warfare. The target of the attack is the identity of the opponent, which is why symbolic cultural assets become the main target. It is also intended to affect the particularly sensitive cultural memory, the growing cultural diversity and the economic basis (such as tourism) of a state, region, or municipality. Museums outside Africa tell a story that we must learn from – we own some content therein. Part of what we must bring back is our cultural norm which codifies acceptable conduct in our society; it serves as a guideline for behavior, dress, language, and demeanor in a situation, which serves as a template for expectations in our social group. Our organization is enthusiastic about promoting our eroding traditional art and culture. Even the earliest known sculptures, for instance, are the remarkable terracotta pottery heads, most of the fragment of figures, from the Nok culture of Nigeria and are dated around 500 BC through to 200 AD – that is the earliest known in Africa.

We, therefore, promote and involve ourselves in anything that has to do with culture and the arts, which involves literature, formative art, performing art, traditional art, cultural heritage, cultural industry, and living culture sometimes we do so in partnership. In addition, pottery, metalwork, sculpture, glassworks, architecture, textile art and fiber art, and much more are important in our culture in Africa and they define us, we also use them as tools for acculturation, sensitization, enlightenment, peace advocacy, sense of belonging, etcetera.

At the start of the 20th Century, many artists such as Derain, Picasso, Matisse and Modigliani became enthralled by African art and began to visit the Trocadero museum in Paris to gaze upon the unique forms, absorbing all that was presented before them – What is left with us of (sculpture, painting, pottery, rock art, textiles, masks, personal decoration, and jewelry) should not only be appreciated and protected but promoted!

As for the capacity building, every responsible talent and skilled worker (artisan) is accepted as a member or a trainer for International Talent Outreach’s trainees who are selected from communities and maybe orphans or from less privileged homes or women and youth in need of empowerment. In that way, we attach children, youth and women from their communities to these artisans/trainers for the training/apprenticeship of trainees for social inclusion. Machines, shops, equipment/tools and startup grants are freely provided to trainees for self-reliance after training. To a beneficiary, another trainee is attached for a continuous chain of trainees (using the trained person to train the trainee – train the trainee model)  This responsibility given to a beneficiary does not only ensure that they stay in the business with their craftsmanship as entrepreneurs but mandates them to train, improve and use the grants, machines, and equipment for self-reliance. That strategy solves the problems faced by other non-profits (NGOs) when their beneficiaries sell equipment and use money meant for their empowerment for something else contrary to the empowerment scheme without achieving the aim!

The rehabilitation of drug/substance abusers however necessitates a “prevention is better than cure approach” that will sensitize the public (such as schools, communities, and affected areas) on the dangers of drug/substance abuse in order to discourage the public from substance abuse and to open a fora for abusers to relinquish such abuses and engage in a dialogue that will help to ameliorate the problems.

This way, some affected persons may ask some questions or maybe identified for counseling and necessary assistance that will cut across medical, psychological, and spiritual (through preaching by religious leaders) approaches to discourage drug abuse which could be an avenue to quit drug/substance abuse and a way to seek a solution to physical, psychological and biological damages already incurred as a result of substance abuse and related problems.

Sometimes, the drug is abused by teenagers and youth to satisfy the urge to act grown-up, to have a good time, to conform to others, family and societal pressure, the influence of family members, peer pressure, media and the capacity to feel high or for the purposing of forgetting worries and temperament or the change of mood.           

The use of drugs for social rather than prescribed medical reasons has been well documented. A comparison with other third-world countries reveals that Nigeria ranks among the highest users of dangerous drugs such as alcohol, tobacco, cannabis, benzodiazepines, cocaine and opioids. A review of earlier researches on drug/substance abuses clearly indicates that there has been a steady increase in the prevalence of drug use and its associated consequences within the last three decades

It was reported by United Nations in 2018 that, the prevalence of drug abuse in the North-West Zone of Nigeria is 12% of their population made up of 3 Million abusers. North Central Zone Records 10% with 1.5 Million abusers. North-East Zone 13.6% with 2.09 Million abusers. South-West Zone swept 22.4% totaling 4.382 Million abusers. South-East 13.8% totaling 1.55 Million abusers. South-South Zone was 16.6% with 2.124 Million drug abusers

Unfortunately, almost all types of psychoactive substances are available in Nigeria due to their spill over into the streets from drug traffickers who use Nigeria as a conduit to transport drugs from South East-Asia (the Golden Triangle) and South America (Bolivia, Peru, and Brazil) to Europe and North America.

Research has shown that more than 70% of people in prison or correctional centers were drug abusers, have abused drugs,s or are still abusing drugs or substances. In addition, drug abuse brings about other ills in the society such as rape, domestic violence, armed robbery, crimes, sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), banditry, and other social vices. This organization, therefore, shifts the mindset of Africans who may be victims of self-destruction and social vices to self-reliance and social inclusion by sensitizing on the dangers, campaigning against drug/substance abuse, and rehabilitating the addicts.

To achieve the above as itemized:

1. Promoting all talents.
2. Promoting art and culture.
3. Capacity building.
4. Sensitization/campaign against drug/substance abuse and rehabilitation.

The foundation draws its directorates from religious leaders, royal fathers, lawyers, police DPOs, community chiefs, university lecturers, school principals, skilled workers, humanitarians, and talents across member countries. The trustees are therefore religious leaders and philanthropists with humanitarian spirit to guide the organization in the right direction and draw fortunes to it. These directorates are people who leave and work in the community and understand the need of the community better. They are also involved in the planning, implementation, monitoring, and evaluation phases of all programs and projects to ensure success.