Roots of Healing.

MAN AND THE ENVIRONMENT

Roots of Healing.

Transforming ancestral plants knowledge into certified remedies that restore community health, cultural dignity, and biodiversity.

Ambavaniasy, Madagascar

MDG

Nonprofit

In rural Madagascar, access to safe, affordable, and culturally relevant healthcare is severely limited. Over 60% of the population lives far from formal medical services. In villages like Ambavaniasy, traditional plant-based remedies are often the only available care. Yet these ancestral practices remain undocumented, unregulated, and excluded from the national health system—contributing to poverty, erosion of Indigenous knowledge, and overharvesting of medicinal plants. Globally, 80% of people rely on traditional medicine for primary care, and the market for natural remedies is rapidly expanding. Our solution bridges this gap by integrating scientifically validated Remèdes Traditionnels Améliorés (RTA) into local Basic Health Centers (CSBs) and community practices. This enhances access to effective care, fosters trust between traditional healers and formal health providers, and elevates cultural knowledge. To ensure sustainability, we’ve launched the SOMA Hub—a “living pharmacy forest” and training center that preserves medicinal biodiversity, empowers community health workers, and strengthens rural infrastructure. This integrated approach serves over 1,500 residents and demonstrates a low-cost, culturally rooted, and ecologically sound healthcare model. When scaled, the RTA approach and SOMA Hub network can address global health inequities while regenerating ecosystems and restoring cultural dignity.

The solution integrates conventional healthcare with traditional medicine via a "SOMA Hub" producing Enhanced Traditional Remedies (RTA). It trains women in Vohimana Salama for RTA production, promoting the sustainable use of local medicinal plants. The project rehabilitates the Ambavaniasy dispensary and conducts community health education covering hygiene, nutrition, and reproductive health, especially for youth. This holistic approach also creates income-generating activities, empowers women, and supports biodiversity conservation through sustainable forest management. It leverages existing local structures and partnerships with authorities, civil society, and the private sector to ensure long-term sustainability.

In rural Madagascar, over 60% of the population lives without reliable access to primary healthcare. In Ambavaniasy, ancestral plant-based remedies are often the only care available, yet they remain undocumented, unregulated, and excluded from the health system. Our project serves 1,500 residents—especially women and youth—who face economic, cultural, and geographic barriers to care. We rehabilitate the local dispensary and integrate scientifically validated Remèdes Traditionnels Améliorés (RTA) through a “green drugstore,” ensuring safe, affordable, and culturally meaningful healthcare. Women from the Vohimana Salama cooperative are trained to produce these remedies, gaining income and agency. Youth-focused health education improves hygiene, nutrition, and reproductive health, building long-term community well-being. At the heart of the initiative is the SOMA Hub—a living pharmacy forest that conserves endangered medicinal species, trains health workers, and promotes sustainable harvesting. This model not only improves health access but fosters local economic resilience and environmental stewardship. Globally, 80% of people rely on traditional medicine. As the demand for natural remedies grows, scaling this approach contributes to the evolution of regenerative, plant-based science. Madagascar’s unmatched biodiversity makes this initiative a natural laboratory for the future of medicine—where health, heritage, and habitat are healed together.