2 July 2007 No Comment

Since many churches discourage traditional medicine for spiritual reasons, we have started to help churches understand the value of natural medicines as a strategy for the poor with no spiritual threat. See our publication “Working Through the Local Church” for more information.

In 2006 we held a couple of workshops with representatives of churches that we have been working with in western Kenya and from these we have developed teaching materials that churches can use to pass on the ideas. We are at the same time developing practical teaching on the use and cultivation of natural medicines so that we can encourage their use in the local communities.

Our focus is very much on what rural families can have available at home and learn to use safely in their families. The strategy is to introduce ideas of first aid using natural medicines for specific well-researched uses, while encouraging the use of professional medical resources for other more complex problems. Our teaching through the women’s programme (e.g. how to distinguish pneumonia from a cold) already emphasises the need to be able to identify when professional help is needed.

The women at right are making Chili Ointment at a recent workshop.