Volunteer: Amazonian Traditional Medicine, Herbalism + Ethnobotany in Ecuador

Duration: Minimum 1 month (flexible for min. 2 weeks depending on your qualifications), Maximum 1 year

Start Dates: Project is ongoing, and you can join at any time, depending upon availability

Cost: $450 for the 1st week + $250 for each additional week (2 month minimum is recommended)

Fee Includes: all food, accommodation, pre-departure + in-country support, orientation and all project related activities

Does not Include: flights, airport pickup, travel insurance, personal spending, visas and vaccinations

Please note: This opportunity is designed to give you the contacts and experience to help further your career. You are not replacing any member of staff, but helping alongside them, whilst learning new skills.

Benefits

• Traditional medicine placement, including living with a host family that practices traditional healing
• Flexible placement, tailored according to your interests and abilities.
• Option to collaborate part-time in a health clinic, hospital, or governmental public health assistance organization working alongside local doctors and support staff to compare traditional versus mainstream public health practices.
• Opportunity to experience the unique interculturality of the Ecuadorian health sector
• Increase your herbalism, plant medicine, and other medical speciality skills.
• Hands-on experience in the fields of Plant Medicine, Herbalism, Ethnobotany, and Public Health, along with the opportunity to learn about agriculture, indigenous rights, women s empowerment, grant writing, online marketing/media and more.
• Numerous research +amp; dissertation opportunities available with partner organizations and universities, if requested.
• Participate in and help develop cultural exchange events including ecotourism, medicinal plant remedy workshop, farm to table Amazonian forest foods meals, and guayusa tea ceremonies.
• Keywords: traditional medicine project, herbalism, ethnobotany, clinic, midwifery, hospital placement, flexible serious project, public health, medicine, emergency medicine, traditional healing, indigenous rights, agroforestry, biodiversity, sustainable development, research, community development, economic development, climate change, women s empowerment.

The Amazon rainforest is home to the most biodiverse ecosystem in the world, with over 40,000 plant species and 2.5 million insect species! Also incredible is that 25% of Western pharmaceuticals are derived from the rainforest, yet only 1% of the materials with potential have been tested – the Amazon is an idyllic place to be studying and learning about natural healing methodologies and herbalism due to the vast amount of plants and indigenous knowledge. For this project, interns will work in the Napo province, centered around the main city of Tena, about 4 hours East of Quito, Ecuador s capital city. This province has a wide range of natural healers, herbalists, and shamans that are working hard to preserve their traditions. The main indigenous group in the region, the Kichwa nation, are known for their use of Plant Medicine and Traditional Healing methodologies. Yet even with such vast knowledge, there is disproportionate access to healthcare – whether traditional or pubic – and a lack of educational resources for prevention.

So, for those interested in a holistic view of the health system, there is an option to spend time supporting staff at a local hospital, rural health clinic, or public health organization, including assisting to promote health education and traditional medicine practices within a local community.

Because you live with local families that also practice traditional medicine, interns forge meaningful connections to the people and plants of the Amazon, gain global health perspectives, and practice their skills alongside experts. In addition to engaging in unique Amazonian activities such as swimming in waterfalls, making chocolate from fresh-picked cacao, and trekking in the virgin rainforest, our immersion program offers the chance to become part of an Ecuadorian family and community, dive deep into language learning (Spanish and Kichwa!), and create your own community-based projects.

This is an opportunity for motivated, enthusiastic, and adventurous interns to immerse themselves in the field of Traditional Medicine, Ethnobotany, and Herbalism, in the most biodiverse place in the world – the Amazon rainforest. It is a unique opportunity to see and be a part of the changes that are occurring as Western and traditional medicine come together. If desired, you could also participate in research and innovative projects to continue to analyze this union and cultural significance.

Daily Life

During your project, you will first have a 3-day orientation to start learning about the culture, people, geography, and what it means to be an intern abroad. After this, it is guaranteed that no day will be the same, as you will move in with your indigenous host family. Perhaps you will be getting up at 6am every morning to drink guayusa with your host Grandmother and talk about your dreams, while preparing green plantain for breakfast. The host family immersion is a crucial part to your hands-on knowledge sharing. While immersing into their home and community, you ll begin collaborating and learning in your project as well.

Some Sample Activities Include

Amazonian Traditional Medicine and Ethnobotany volunteers will collaborate at the intersection of contemporary and traditional medicine as it is used, shared, implemented, and recounted in the Ecuadorian Amazon. Interns will learn alongside local healers and specialists to gain an understanding of the role of traditional healing practices, including primary plant species and their uses. This project provides the opportunity to practice traditional herbalism while learning from the local knowledge of indigenous peoples. There is ample opportunity to do your own research alongside your project.

• Identifying local primary medicinal plants and understanding their importance in traditional medicine
• Establishing working relationships with alternative healthcare providers and specialists
• Shadowing healers and shamans to gain a holistic understanding of local medicine traditions
• Studying the practices of medicinal plant-based midwifery women s association, and support their goal to preserve their culture
• Shadowing and contributing to work in the chakra (traditional-planted agroforestry farm or garden) to plant and harvest
• Working to create and clear trails in medicinal plant gardens or chakras
• Guide visitors to learn about medicinal plant practices and support other community and eco tourism projects
• Do research with the local association of natural healers.

Your main projects can be combined with us supporting you to network with communities, women’s groups, and shamans to create an independent project researching traditional plant medicine and practices.

Please note: all information above is subject to change. Please check the most up to date information on the Global Nomadic website when applying.