By Yusufu Saio Samura Intern
Spot the Talent Sierra Leone is an association based in Sierra Leone that deals with Mixed Martial Art, with the blessings of the Ministry of Sports. As its name implies, their main objective is to search for young talented guys, not only on sports but other related areas like entertainment, education and the likes, as this will make the association reach its goals of developing the future generation of the Country.
In an interview with Day Break Newspaper, Saidu Sesay, CEO of Spot the Talent Sierra Leone and President of the Sierra Leone Mixed Martial Art Association, disclosed that he is a Martial Art expert, with over Twenty-five years’ experience, and had participated in different competitions, both Locally and Internationally, representing the Country. He furthered that since setting up this association some Five Years ago, they have been involved in training youths to have a better career, adding that he believes that there are many young Sierra Leoneans with talents that have not been tapped, and tapping these talents will enhance their employability and marketability, and these can represent the country in international competitions. He also disclosed that after spotting these talents, he will train them and try to affiliate with International Scouts, so they may be able to take their career to another level.
He continued that young Sierra Leoneans have gone into drug abuse and other vices, and this will adversely affect their future. Therefore, Spot the Talent is poise to change this narrative and provide the youths with a dependable career for the future.
He noted that since he does not have the finance to send them to the university, but this platform will serve as a key step to their success.
He maintained that tackling the abuse of drugs has been a tough enterprise, as they have moved around in communities engaging youths to join them and develop skills that will transform their lives. He also maintained that to encourage addicts to stop taking drugs, they had played videos of former addicts that have recovered from addiction and are now living meaningful; lives, and how they too be changed and live beneficial lives and contribute to society, and how they could be self-reliant and self-employed.
He also explained that Spot the Talent has created the platform to train young boys and girls on skilled jobs as they have Barbing Shop and Saloon at central sites around the Jui axis, where they have skilled workers in the association who train unskilled youths in various skills.
Furthermore, the CEO disclosed that Spot the Talent has also established a GYM school, where they train youths in gymnastics and Martial Arts.
Concluding, CEO Saidu Sesay said that to realize their dream, their challenge is lack of finance to run the association, and called on Government and well-meaning Sierra Leoneans to support the Association.