Update on COVID Relief Fundraising
In addition to providing food and sanitation supplies to each household in Paoyhan and Paococha, our fundraising campaign has provided medicines for the local health post and has supported the ongoing work of the Living Pharmacy (Farmacia Viva Shipibo Sanken Yaka). Their work has been particularly important during the pandemic. With a lack of medical equipment and personnel in the community, and with the majority of residents affected by COVID-19, traditional use of medicinal plants has been important for treatment.
In a report by members of Alianza Arkana, the NGO who we also work with, they state that in a visit to Paoyhan, these traditional remedies have been important for recovery:
“Matico (Buddleja globosa) Mucura (Petiveria alliacea), Ajosquiro (Gallesia integrifolia), Eucalyptus, onion syrup with honey, lemon and ginger are the medicinal plants and remedies that Shipibos are using for healing individuals ill with COVID…Oscar [the local Nurse] was able to see that there is a relationship between the continued use of medicinal plants and the health condition of people who tested COVID positive. Those who hadn’t stopped taking plants even after no symptoms were present, showed a noticeable improvement compared to those who have stopped taking them as soon as they felt better.” (See full report here: https://alianzaarkana.org/news/chronicle-of-a-trip-to-paoyhan).
Thus, the work of the Living Pharmacy committee has been very important in helping to supply medicinal plants for treatment of COVID patients in Paoyhan.
The Living Pharmacy committee made this video to share a message of gratitude for your donations in enabling them to continue their work on the land. With a portion of the donations they were able to purchase new supplies and equipment. In this video, they are opening a new path to another area of land that they are developing as part of the Living Pharmacy.
There have only been a few COVID-related deaths in the community, but we are very sad to report that one of these deaths was Maestro Pascual Mahua, a beloved and well-known healer who was a wealth of traditional knowledge, and a master of working with the sacred tree Noya Rao. Pascual was more than 90 years old. Our sympathies are with his family during this time for this great loss and the loss of other beloved community members as well.
Maestro Pascual Mahua, a great healer from Paoyhan, will be greatly missed by the community.
