Maleku Indigenous Herb and Tea Business

This report presents both positive and negative outcomes.

Challenges: The Maleku encountered setbacks with their agricultural goals. The sprouts of the three herbal plants they selected for this years harvest all perished. Unlike last year, when the sprouts died due to insufficient water, this year's excessive rainfall led to fungal infections that caused the plants to fail.

Successes: In early 2025, our scheduled meeting with the Maleku faced challenges because of an unexpected development. They received the good news that 70 hectares (173 acres) of original Maleku land, previously under non-Maleku ownership, was being returned to them. This land restitution provides an unprecedented opportunity for some Maleku who had never owned land to finally claim ownership.

As part of the reclamation process, the regulation requires living on the property prior to its formal return. The Maleku prioritized this obligation over continuing work on the Tea Project.

Decision: Soulgives has decided to discontinue the Tea Project. The Maleku have chosen to use the reclaimed land for cattle raising rather than farming. While we understood that farming would require significant changes to their traditional practices, we had hoped their appreciation for the forest might inspire a shift from foraging to cultivation.

Future Plans: Soulgives will apply the lessons learned from the Maleku Tea Project, as well as insights from MUIH and other collaborators, to identify a new partner within Costa Rica to produce exceptional medicinal teas for the world.

Links:

• The SoulGives Website Home Page
• this video shows one of the reclamation sites.

First of all, we deeply appreciate your continued support through GlobalGiving. Your generosity is enabling the Maleku people of Costa Rica to take significant steps toward self-sustainability. Even the smallest contributions are making a meaningful impact as we build the foundation for this exciting venture.

Rosa, Maribel, and Adrian, our dedicated Maleku team, have been working tirelessly, planting and tending a test garden with more than four types of herbs. Historically, the Maleku community relied on foraging in the forest rather than structured farming. This shift has been a learning process, supported by advice from local farmers and university experts.

The fertile soil and abundant rainfall in the Maleku lands are ideal for agriculture, but the herb seedlings planted several months ago would struggle under direct sunlight. To address this, the team has proposed building a mesh sun shield to protect the seedlings and improve their growth.

Your donations received this quarter will go toward purchasing the necessary netting and wooden materials for this essential project.

We remain in the planning and evaluation phase, collaborating with interns and faculty advisors from the Maryland University of Integrative Health (MUIH). Their development study, delivered in August 2024, will further guide our efforts.

As the year ends, we hope you’ll consider a donation to empower these Maleku women to succeed in their journey toward creating a sustainable herbal tea business. Thank you for your continued support!