Tales of Us is a non-profit organization that is committed to amplifying the voice of storytellers around the world to address critical global issues. Using multimedia as an instrument of change our initiatives focus on uncovering stories and showcasing the intersection of culture, community and nature.

Born out of the distance created by the first wave of the pandemic, this educational video series took kids forced to stay at home all the way to the Congo. It is presented by prominent hosts such as Sasheer Zamata, a former Saturday Night Live cast member and writer, Akwasi, a musician and self-professed creative centipede, Teddy Teclebrhan, host of Teddy Comedy and comedian, Gaz Mawete, a Congolese musician, and, Jeny Bosenge, a Belgo-Congolese choreographer and influencer.

Tales of Us is soft launching its metaverse prototype—World of Us. This launch represents the beginning of a safe digital experience, one where kids can roam freely and grow their understanding of the world around them through games and mythologies from regions that need urgent environmental protection. Within this playful and educational introduction to the metaverse, we connect young people from every corner of the globe and provide them with tools that will allow them to co-create their digital experiences.

What happens when a discussion provides every voice with value? A dialogue. By connecting experts, practitioners, and activists with people like you, we are able to connect with our community. Centerd around the question: How can storytelling open up spaces for shared wisdom? Tales in Dialogue was a 2-day online event to connect and communicate freely. From the main question, 10 themes unfolded—bridging different narratives into collective intelligence.

We organised a game jam based on Brazilian mythology and the results are so exciting. Afro Games is based in the favela Vigario Geral in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, and offers programmes and infrastructure for the communities’ youth to enter the professional world of gaming. Two myths were our focus. One telling the story of the origin of Guarana according to the Sateré-Mawé and one Afro-Brazilian myth about the Orixás Oiá-Iansã and Xangô. The students at Afrogames spent 48H Game Jamming and pitched four games—and two were selected by our judges to be fully developed and launched.

Akesi and the Congo River is a three-part animated docu-fiction series following the coming-of-age adventures of Akesi, an 8-year-old Congolese boy who is having a hard time coping with the loss of his brother. Led by his family’s totem animal—a gecko— Akesi explores the topics of grief, trust, and bravery with the help of the enchanted Congo River. On his journey, he learns about his home country’s history, mythologies, and ecosystem through very important life lessons. Using a blend of animation and green screen, hosts are able to transport children through the Congo Basin, across the Congo River and through time to connect with the country’s culture.

Our very first project Congo Tales set out to communicate the urgency of conservation efforts in the Congo Basin. We focused on the unique mythologies of the region—as told by the people who live there.

The Little Fish and the Crocodile is a fable from the rainforest in the Odzala-Kokoua National Park in the Republic of Congo told by the children of the Sanza Mobimba Kindergarten. This film was made for children, by children, and was shown at over 40 film festivals all over the world.

We know we can't tell powerful stories without authentic sounds. This is why we invited sound artist David Kamp to work with us during the production of the Congo Tales series. He joined us in the recording and creation of the Odzala-Kokoua Park sound experience. The result is an award-winning soundscape. An art piece, it continues to travel the world.

We dream up and take part in countless events to boost our content to bigger and diverse audiences. These events are tailored to people from all walks of life. They allow us to engage in important dialogues and deepen our understanding of the issues we continue to pursue in our content creation.