Natural Health

Health, Conservation and Food Sovereignty in Eswatini

SHP, Swaziland Homeopathy Project, is one of our long-term partner. Sahee has been working with SHP for fifteen years starting with a joint vision to make health services and natural treatments available to all (Homeopathy shall become accessible for all, Propagation of a holistic treatment and homeopathy in Eswatini, Sustainable Homeopathy, and Homeopathy: a good, low cost and humane alternative). 2016, with the project Herbs against HIV/AIDS and Tuberculosis, SHP opened up their field of intervention to the conservation of medicinal plants. This new component aimed at a) increasing the cultivation of the most endangered and intensively used medicinal plants in nurseries, b) manufacturing homeopathic remedies from such species, c) training of traditional medicinal practicioners (TMPs) and traders in sustainable harvesting practices and home cultivation of medicinal plants, and d) training TMPs in basic homeopathic skills so that they may have an alternative resource. In 2018 SHP elaborated a five year plan, characterized by a more holistic approach: Besides homeopathy clinics and the medicinal plants component, nutrition workshops and the urban garden initiative were added in order to integrate eating habits and organic food production as important aspects of health. Sahee supported the five year plan through the projects Homeopathy and healthy nutrition for all, followed by Nature as medicine.
The current project phase is again based on SHPs five year plan (2023-2028). It reflects the lessons learned from the previous period and is focussing on three components:

1) ”Mahambanendlwana” – Homeopathy in your community. The aim is to increase the number of people having access to affordable health care and lower the mortality due to lifestyle disease and late presentation of noncommunicable diseases (NCD) with complications.
Especially in times of COVID, it could be noticed that patients appreciate and increasingly use the services of SHP, as it enables them to discuss mental and physical suffering with someone who listens to them and takes them seriously. Mental ailments in particular have risen sharply since COVID. SHP consciously sees their services as complementary to conventional medical services and aim to strengthen patients' general health

2) ”Konga imvelo” – Conservation of endangered indigenous medicinal plants. The aim is provide a source of endangered medicinal plants and prevent extinction of endangered species.

The following species have been identified together with the TMPs to be the most significant in traditional medicine, while most of them endangered:
Species and status according to the South African Red List:
Alepidea cordifolia (endangered)
Bowiea volubilis (vulnerable)
Siphonochilus aethiopicus (critically endangered)
Warburgia salutaris (endangered)
Elaeodendron transvaalense (near threatened)
Artemisia afra (least concern)
Within this component, SHP will identify sources of plant material and methods of cultivation, and buildup plant stock for distribution.

3) ‘’Hholohholo’’ – Food sovereignty and security. The aim is to reduce the number of people experiencing food insecurity and improve food sovereignty through access to organic local grown produce (organizing farmers markets) and through training in sustainable agroecological practices and nutrition workshops at the Mbabane Urban Garden.

Project site

Mbabane, Shewula, Malalotja, Bhunya, Ntfonjeni, Mkhuzweni, Sigombeni, Manzini (Map)

Beneficiaries

Women: 1'505 direct, 12'040 indirect
Men: 567 direct, 4'536 indirect
Children under age 16: 115 direct

Project costs and assistance by sahee

The entire project costs are CHF 170’000.–, whereas sahee takes over CHF 64’000.–.

sahee is in regular contact with the project leaders, reviews the activities and visits the project once a year on site.

Duration of assistance

1st of July 2023 to 31st of June 2026

Local counterpart

Swaziland Homeopathy Project