Support Indigenous Medicinal Gardens in the Amazon

Hello, dear friends and esteemed donors!

Recently, our focus has been on the "Comando Matico," a collective of Shipibo volunteers. Originally formed to treat COVID-19 patients during the pandemic, Comando Matico has now expanded its mission to promote and apply traditional medicine for other ailments.

Just a few days ago, they inaugurated a health center where we collaborated by providing medicinal plants and technical advice for planting and cultivation. Now, they have a flourishing medicinal garden to serve their patients and demonstrate that every backyard in the district can be a living pharmacy. This initiative empowers the Shipibo people, showing them that even in the urban slums where some of them reside, they can cultivate their own healing remedies and address public health challenges.

Alianza Arkana maintains a close relationship with Comando Matico, considering them natural allies in our efforts to build an alternative health system. Their growing public recognition fills them with pride, and we anticipate that traditional medicine will eventually find its place in broader public health policies. Notably, during the health center's inauguration, several state officials were in attendance

Dear Donors, on the other hand we have some critical goals that we are unable to achieve without your help:

1. Maroti Shobo Medicine Garden:
At Maroti Shobo, a Shipibo artisan workshop and store, mothers and children spend several hours together. They have ample space to grow medicinal plants, but there are expenses they cannot cover, such as topsoil, manure, tools, and a watering system. The children and mothers eagerly await the resources to turn their dream into reality. This space will serve as a place to teach and learn about the use of traditional medicine, reinforcing resilience and solidarity. It will provide natural remedies for free, which is essential since many Shipibo in the city lack the financial means to access Western medicine.

2. Medicinal Forest at the Bilingual Institute of Yarinacocha:
The Bilingual Institute of Yarinacocha educates 350 indigenous students to become bilingual teachers for kindergarten and elementary school. They currently have about 3 hectares of residual forest—a simple forest with limited biodiversity. Their vision is to enrich this area with medicinal trees and create a garden that serves as a source of free medicine for the students and the wider community. Additionally, it will be a peaceful place for walks and nature appreciation, reminiscent of the distant communities they come from.

Join us in making these projects a reality! Your support matters. Together, we can create positive change for indigenous people. Donate today!